'Magic' mushroom grow operation found at Rostraver home, police say
Jun. 4—A suspected psychedelic mushroom grow operation was discovered in a Rostraver home Thursday while police said they were investigating threats made by the property owner, according to court papers.
Authorities arrested Michael Jonathan McClain, 45, who is being held without bond at the Westmoreland County Prison.
Township police were called to Skurkay Lane around 7 a.m. after McClain's two tenants reported being involved in an argument with him, according to court papers. The witnesses told police McClain threatened to assault them with a glass bong and they grew fearful because he had guns at the house.
Police got a search warrant and seized two rifles, ammunition, equipment for growing mushrooms and a large amount of drug paraphernalia. In the basement, authorities said they found the grow operation, according to court papers. They said they seized suspected drugs including marijuana, heroin and a bag of psilocybin or "magic" mushrooms.
McClain is charged with drug and gun violations, terroristic threats, simple assault and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police said he previously was convicted of a felony, prohibiting him from having firearms. It was unclear from court papers what that conviction was.
He was denied bond after being deemed a "threat to society" by District Judge Charles Christner, according to online court records. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing was set for June 14.
McClain served a year on probation in 2017 on a theft charge and a jail term in a 2016 drug paraphernalia case, according to online court records.
Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .
