A 24-year-old man was sentenced to 35 years in prison in Boulder County last week after pleading guilty to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor, sexual exploitation of a child, and criminal attempt to commit money laundering. A grand jury investigation found that Benjamin Harmon sold drugs to 20 child victims including one he sexually assaulted and one whom he obtained child sexual abuse materials from. The investigation into Harmon began following the death of a 15-year-old, who died after falling from a construction crane at the University of Colorado.
The University of Colorado Police Department worked in collaboration with the Boulder County Drug Task Force and the District Attorney’s Office on this case. A law enforcement sting operation was conducted by using the deceased minor’s cell phone to arrange another meeting with Harmon, confirming that Harmon sold psilocybin to the child.
“The teenager who died was loved by his family and friends,” said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. “He had his whole life in front of him, until the defendant began preying upon him and other high school kids. Although this guilty plea and sentence is what the family wanted from the criminal case, the outcome will never fill the void caused by this defendant. I want to thank the law enforcement and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to advance this investigation. But for their efforts, this criminal prosecution would never have happened; it would have been classified as a tragic fall. Because of them, the true nature and depth of the defendant’s conduct was discovered and he was brought to justice.”
Harmon was booked into the Boulder County Jail on October 18, 2024 following the grand jury investigation. Harmon was charged with 40 counts, including forced sexual assault on a child and 21 counts of distributing psilocybin to minors. Some of the distribution occurred within 1,000 feet of a school. All of the child victims were high school students in Boulder County. Harmon was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for providing marijuana and alcohol to minors.
“The CU Boulder Police Department would like to thank the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office for its rigorous pursuit of justice in this case,” said CUPD Chief Ashley Griffin. “CUPD is committed to protecting our campus and surrounding community, and we will continue working tirelessly with our partners to ensure that those who exploit and harm others are held fully accountable.”
