Talks ongoing in significant marijuana case

EAU CLAIRE — An area man appears set for a plea agreement after authorities said he was caught making his own THC cartridges for sale.

Joseph Heraver, 21, was living at the Hillcrest Motel in Altoona when police got a warrant to search his room based on evidence he was selling marijuana from it. He wasn’t at the room when police arrived, but his products were.

The search led to charges of possession with intent to distribute THC, possession with intent to distribute psilocin or psilocybin, maintaining a drug trafficking place and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the criminal complaint, Heraver’s room contained marijuana, THC vaporizers, vacuum sealed mushrooms, individually packaged marijuana, pre-rolled joints, THC resin and 33 boxes labeled THC cartridges.

The amounts involved are significant. The THC charge involves more than 2,500-10,000 grams. That’s more than 22 pounds, though it’s not clear whether that includes the weight of the THC cartridges. The charge based on the hallucinogenic mushrooms involves slightly more than a pound.

Heraver turned himself in to authorities the same day his apartment was searched.

In March, Heraver’s attorney told the court a plea agreement was close but had not been finalized. Some details apparently remain to be decided, as Tuesday’s hearing saw another set for July 10.