Warrensburg police bust hallucinogenic mushroom growing operation

Officers uncovered a hallucinogenic mushroom growing operation while serving a search warrant at a Warrensburg apartment.

Three people who live at the apartment, 108 S. College St., were arrested about 8:30 p.m. Thursday. They were: Stephen Mizell, 22, Ruth Rodenberg, 22, and Kyle W. Altenderfer, 21, according to Warrensburg Police Department reports. Altenderfer was also arrested on a Johnson County warrant on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, reports stated.

Mizell and Rodenberg were released from Johnson County Jail, pending the filing of charges. Lt. Randy Eich, of Warrensburg’s detectives division, said police were waiting for lab results before requesting charges.

Officers found two ounces of finished, dried mushrooms and more growing in soil in the apartment, Eich said. They also found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Eich said finding a mushroom growing operation is “rare” and this was the largest he’s seen in his 30 years with the department.

“We don’t get a lot of them,” he said.