Guilty plea in sale of THC gummies that sickened William Floyd Middle School students

A man has pleaded guilty to selling THC gummies that were later ingested by more than a dozen William Floyd Middle School students who had to be hospitalized in March of last year.

Wilmer Castillo Garcia also admitted selling narcotics to an undercover officer, nine months after he attempted to flee the country, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Castillo Garcia, 23, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child on July 23 before Judge Anthony Senft Jr., authorities said. 

"This defendant illegally sold cocaine, marijuana, and THC gummies. The gummies then got into the hands of children which led to dozens being hospitalized," Tierney said in a statement.

In March 2025, Castillo Garcia, a Guatemalan national, sold tetrahydrocannabinol gummies to a teen on Instagram, who then distributed them to other students at William Floyd Middle School, according to court documents and his guilty plea admissions. The students were taken to Peconic Bay Hospital after ingesting them. 

About two months later, on May 5 and 12, 2025, Castillo Garcia sold cocaine and marijuana to an undercover law enforcement officer, Tierney said.

Following his arraignment on Aug. 14, Senft ordered Castillo Garcia be released on his own recognizance for the duration of the case because his charges were not bail-eligible under state law.

On Oct. 4, Castillo Garcia attempted to flee the United States by crossing the Canadian border at the Lewiston Bridge in upstate Lewiston, Tierney said.

He was arrested by the Canadian Border Services Agency, placed into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, and brought to the Batavia Federal Detention Facility in upstate Batavia for removal proceedings.

ICE returned Castillo Garcia to Suffolk at the request of the district attorney’s office.

Castillo Garcia is due in court on Sept. 10 and is expected to be sentenced to 2 years in prison, followed by 2 years of post-release supervision. ICE currently has a detainer on Castillo Garcia to take him into custody after he serves his prison sentence, Tierney said.

Matthew Tuohy, Castillo Garcia’s attorney, said his client was traveling to find a construction job in the Northeast and "got lost" when he was arrested by Canadian police. Castillo Garcia was not attempting to flee the country, Tuohy said.

He described Castillo Garcia as a "poor, underprivileged kid" who barely speaks English and has experienced homelessness since coming to the United States as a child.

Castillo Garcia is aware he "made a very bad mistake," Tuohy said.

"He has a family that loves him and takes care of him and is trying to get him in the right direction," Tuohy said. "I feel bad for the guy. It’s a sad situation."