PAWNEE, Okla. — They definitely aren’t vitamins, but they are designed to look like them.
The law enforcement in Pawnee say they’ve seen a steady uptick in other drugs like meth and heroine over the last few years, but now they are seeing an uptick in ecstasy.
“We’ve seen ecstasy before and we’ve seen it in this form for years but we don’t normally see it around Pawnee,” said Chief of Police Wesley Clymer for the Pawnee Police Department. “We are definitely seeing an uptick in this last year to year and a half.”
Specifically, ecstasy made to look like chidrens' vitamins or candy.
“As super hero shapes, batman, Homer Simpson, transformers and other stuff like that,” said Chief Clymer.
Clymer says this is though they are designed to look like they are for kids, it could be deadly if they had them.
“One pill or even part of a pill for a child would already show signs of overdose, and side effects of that could be you know their heart shutting down their brain and breathing starting to shut down,” said Chief Clymer. “So, essentially death.”
Around 9 p.m.Tuesday night, Pawnee police officers found 26 ecstasy pills that looked like children’s vitamins on a woman who he says was behaving suspiciously.
Pawnee Sheriff Mike Waters was off duty at a local restaurant when other patrons notified him about a woman with a small child behaving oddly.
“He was eating there with his family but he had already been there once that day and noticed she had been there for several hours,” said Chief Clymer. “She refused any help he would give and at that point re realized it was probably because it was a criminal matter.”
Chief Waters contacted Pawnee Police and when officers arrived they found the ecstasy pills.
“To see 26 pills, that’s just shy of the state law limit for trafficking so that’s quite a bit for Pawnee,” said Chief Clymer.
22-year-old Morgan Johnson was arrested then later charged for child endangerment and possession of drugs with intent to sell.
The young child with Johnson was taken by representatives of the Department of Human Services.
“DHS was called in to take care of the child and will provide anything that the child may need,” said Chief Clymer.
No bond has yet been set for Johnson.
As Pawnee law enforcement stay vigil, they say there is a way for parents and guardians to keep an eye out too.
"Spend a lot of time with them each and every day," said Chief Clymer. "So, that way if something happens like odd behavior or anything along those lines you know somethings up."
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