Father and Son Charged With Selling Illegal Kratom After Ole Miss Student Deaths

Federal authorities have charged Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, a 51-year-old store clerk, and his son, Islam Yahya Mosleh, 18, with possessing and distributing controlled substances. The charges follow an investigation into the deaths of two University of Mississippi students in September.

Prosecutors announced the indictment on Friday, stating that bank records indicate one of the deceased students, Aidan Hamilton, made several purchases at a vape and tobacco shop in Oxford, Mississippi, during September. The store is located near the university campus.

On September 24, an informant working with law enforcement visited the store and purchased kratom-based pills from Yahya Mohamed Mosleh. According to a affidavit by DEA Special Agent Michael Dassance, the clerk advised the informant to “be careful taking the pills because people were dying from them.” The younger Mosleh allegedly urged the informant to remain quiet and conceal the pills while other customers were present.

Both defendants face one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Their attorneys, Scott Davis and A.E. Harlow Jr., declined to comment in emails. A magistrate judge determined there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the charges on Thursday.

The investigation began after the deaths of Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, were discovered in different locations on or near campus on September 21. Investigators found opened packages of a kratom product labeled “Smax” in both students’ rooms and identified a suspected link between the products and the Moslehs’ store.

While kratom is legal under federal law, it has been banned in 11 states and regulated in others, including Mississippi, which requires buyers to be at least 21. The city of Oxford has also enacted its own ban on the substance. In August, the DEA prohibited three specific kratom-related compounds, one of which was found as an ingredient in products seized from the Oxford store and Hamilton’s room.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves stated last week that two state agencies are expediting toxicology reports for the students. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the kratom products contributed to the deaths, though federal prosecutors noted that both deaths appear consistent with drug overdoses. The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics task force indicated the investigation remains active and additional charges may follow.

Kratom, derived from a Southeast Asian tree, is marketed by proponents as a natural supplement for pain and anxiety relief. However, the FDA has warned about the risks of kratom derivatives, which are often synthetic and can be highly potent. While kratom use has been linked to rare deaths, these incidents typically involve the co-use of other substances.