Federal Charges Filed in Connection with Ole Miss Student Deaths Linked to Kratom

Authorities have charged a vape shop clerk and his 18-year-old son with distributing an illegal kratom product following an investigation into the deaths of two University of Mississippi students, prosecutors announced on Friday.

The case centers on Aidan Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, both of whom were found dead in late September. While toxicology reports are still pending, federal officials stated that both deaths appear consistent with drug overdoses. The Mississippi Governor’s office has directed state agencies to expedite the results.

Federal court documents reveal that Hamilton made several purchases in September from an Oxford, Mississippi, store. On September 24, an undercover informant purchased kratom-based pills from Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51. According to a DEA affidavit, Mosleh cautioned the informant to “be careful taking the pills because people were dying from them.” He was also observed instructing the buyer to remain quiet and hide the products when other customers entered the shop.

Investigators discovered packages of a kratom derivative labeled “Smax” in the rooms of both deceased students and traced a suspected link to the Mosleh family business. A DEA agent noted in his affidavit that one of the three compounds banned by the agency in August was listed as an ingredient in products seized from the store and Hamilton’s room.

Both Yahya Mosleh and his son, Islam Yahya Mosleh, were arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Their attorneys declined to comment, and a magistrate judge determined there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the charges.

Kratom, derived from a Southeast Asian tree, remains legal under federal law, though 11 states have imposed bans. Mississippi regulates the substance by requiring buyers to be at least 21 years old, while the city of Oxford has enacted its own local ban. The FDA has warned about the risks associated with kratom derivatives, which can be highly potent, whereas proponents argue that pure kratom leaf is a safe herbal supplement.

Lafayette County Metro Narcotics confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that additional charges may follow.