Man pleads guilty to charge filed in teen’s molly overdose death
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –
Update 2:
Ryan Kollman was in court on March 16, 2016.
According to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Kollman pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance.
Sentencing was scheduled for May 18 at 10 a.m.
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Update 1:
Marjorie Dietrich was sentenced to 6 years supervised probation on February 10, 2016.
We are working to get an update on Kollman’s case.
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Original report:
Two arrests have been made in connection with the death of a Colorado Springs teenager who overdosed on the drug Molly.
Ryan Kollman, 26, was arrested Oct. 7 for the distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance, a class 3 drug felony. Marjorie Dietrich, 22, was arrested Oct. 1 for the same charge.
On July 3, Colorado Springs Police responded to a home on a possible drug overdose call. A female, who was later identified as 17-year-old Megan Pacheco, was found incoherent and unresponsive. Her kidneys and liver failed after taking the drug. She was life-flighted to the Children’s hospital in Aurora where she later died.
Police say Dietrich and Kollman have been identified as a source of the drugs that led to Pacheco’s overdose. They are both being charged for distributing the drug, not for the death of the teen. Police say they were able to arrest the two based upon arrest warrants and witness statements.
Nearly three months after Pacheco died, family and friends are now finding some closure.
“It’s the hardest thing in the world, but at the same time, at least there’s the justice they’ve wanted and it will save probably other lives,” said Sydni Stevenson, Pacheco’s close friend.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office report shows Pacheo’s death was caused by an overdose from the drug MDMA which is also known by the name “Molly” and is a form of Ecstasy. Police believe the Molly Pacheco took may have been mixed with another substance.
“It greatly increases the body temperature, which can cause the internal organs to shut down and that’s something that can happen on one person and not the next person,” said Lt. Catherine Buckley, with Colorado Springs police.
Molly is known as a “club drug” and is popular among teenagers and young adults. Police say in the last few years they’ve noticed a large increase in the amount of people using the drug.
“In the last six years, there’s been a 128 percent increase of people under the age of 21 who had to go to the emergency room for overdosing on Molly,” said Buckley.
A lesson that hits close to home for those who knew Pacheco best.
“For other people that are into drugs, hopefully you realize you just never know what’s in it and hopefully it’ll raise awareness to everyone,” said Stevenson.
Both Kollman and Dietrich are expected to be in court in the upcoming weeks.
