Nearly $3M in mushrooms, firearms allegedly seized in Lake Elsinore

Authorities seized about $2.9 million worth of psilocybin mushrooms and a handful of firearms after serving a search warrant at a residence in Lake Elsinore, sheriff's officials said.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to a call from a business regarding a suspicious package in August 2024. Authorities identified a 43-year-old man from Lake Elsinore as the person who allegedly shipped the package to the business.

In November, deputies from the department's Lake Elsinore Special Enforcement Team served a search warrant at the suspect's residence and allegedly found approximately 445 pounds of "vacuum sealed psilocybin mushrooms, about 2,805 bags containing psilocybin mushrooms in various stages of growth, two semi-automatic rifles (one un-serialized), a shotgun, four semi-automatic handguns (two un-serialized), one semi-automatic handgun suppressor, and two ballistic vests,'' according to the department.  

He was booked in the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on Tuesday night on suspicion of multiple felony drug and weapons offenses.   

Anyone with information about the case was urged to contact Investigator Garcia at the Lake Elsinore station at 951-245-3300.