Mary Elizabeth Essa, the second of two University of Colorado students accused of sickening a professor and seven classmates last week with pot-infused brownies, formally was charged with 18 felonies today by Boulder County prosecutors.
Essa, 19, was charged with eight counts of second-degree assault and eight counts of inducing the consumption of a controlled substance, one count of each charge representing each victim, as well as one count each of conspiracy to commit second-degree assault and conspiracy to induce consumption of a controlled substance because they are alleged to have worked together.
Thomas Ricardo Cunningham, 21, was charged with identical counts Wednesday at his hearing.
According to police and court records, Cunningham and Essa brought marijuana-laced brownies to their history class Friday as part of "bring food day," but did not tell anyone else in the class that the brownies were laced with THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.
Later that day, assistant professor Celine Dauverd and several students complained of symptoms including dizziness, anxiety and loss of consciousness. Dauverd and two students were hospitalized after ingesting the brownies.
CU police said both Cunningham and Essa have admitted the brownies contained marijuana.
Each of the second-degree assault charges, Class 4 felonies, carries a possible prison sentence of two to six years, while the inducing consumption of a controlled substance charges and the conspiracy charges, all Class 5 felonies, carry possible prison sentences of one to three years each.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingne...8-felonies-pot