After Marijuana Gummies Sicken Middle Schoolers, Lawmakers Pitch New Legislation To Protect Kids From Crime

CENTER MORICHES, NY — After a man sold tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, gummies that resulted in the hospitalization of a dozen William Floyd middle school students, lawmakers gathered Wednesday to discuss new bail reform legislation to better protect children against crime.

New York State Senator Dean Murray, along with New York State Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano, NYS Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, Suffolk County PBA 1st Vice President John Hnat, Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association Executive Director Bob Vecchio, and representatives from Suffolk County Law Enforcement held a press conference introducing bail reform legislation — introduced by Murray.

As a result of the incident that sent a dozen William Floyd Middle School students to the emergency room back in March 2025, Senator Murray and his colleagues in the state legislature introduced the bill, "which is aimed at protecting some of the most vulnerable crime victims, children, from repeat offenders," officials said.

Minors are among the most at risk of becoming victims of crime, officials said, adding that criminal conduct that causes physical injury, psychological harm, or emotional damage can have serious effects that last a lifetime.

The legislation, all present agreed, provides more authority to the courts by making any crime in which the defendant is alleged to have caused physical, psychological, or emotional harm to a minor a qualifying offense for purposes of New York's bail laws.

"This bill is about protecting our kids and that shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Judges need to have the ability to keep repeat offenders or those who pose a danger to society off the streets, especially in cases where children are the victims. There’s no reason to automatically put suspects back on the streets where children and others can be victimized over and over again," said Murray, 3rd Senate District.

"New York’s laws should never tie a judge’s hands when a child has been physically, psychologically, or emotionally harmed," DeStefano, 3rd Assembly District and co-sponsor of the bill, said. "Senator Murray’s legislation restores common sense discretion to the courts by making these serious crimes bail-eligible while still allowing judges to consider the facts of each individual case. I am proud to carry this effort in the Assembly and stand with Senator Murray to make sure our justice system puts the safety and well-being of children first."

"If someone puts our children at risk by selling drugs they must pay the price for their decisions. Thank you, Senator Murray, for taking this step with this important legislation, and I urge every lawmaker to put politics aside and protect the future generations of this state," said Romaine.

"The fact that under New York’s bail laws my prosecutors cannot ask for bail on a defendant targeting kids with drugs and sending a dozen middle schoolers to the hospital is unconscionable," Tierney said. "Prosecutors must have the ability to hold such defendants in custody before they harm another child. Our children deserve nothing less than a justice system that prevents repeat offenders from getting multiple chances to harm them. I thank Senator Dean Murray for his leadership trying to fix our ridiculous bail laws in Albany."

"When a defendant is accused of a serious crime against a child, the courts should have the ability to fully consider the circumstances of the case and the potential risk to the community when determining whether that individual should be released before trial," said Catalina. "Judges should not be denied discretion when public safety is at stake and I commend Senator Murray for taking an important step to making this meaningful change to the law."

"The Suffolk County PBA commends Senator Dean Murray for advancing legislation that gives our courts the discretion to consider bail when a child has been a victim of a crime. Under current law, judges are too often denied that authority, leaving those accused of victimizing our most vulnerable back on the street before a child has begun to recover," said 1st Vice President John Hnat, Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association in a formal statement of support. "But let us be clear: this bill is a first step, not a solution. For years, Albany's approach to bail reform has left law enforcement, victims, and communities to absorb the consequences of a system that too frequently prioritizes the offender over the victim. Senator Murray’s bill corrects one of those injustices. What New York still needs is a comprehensive, honest re-examination of these laws, one that restores judicial discretion and public safety as guiding principles. We thank Senator Murray for his leadership and urge the Legislature to treat this measure as the beginning of that overdue work."

In July, the man caught while attempting to flee the country pleaded guilty after selling narcotics to an undercover officer — and selling the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, gummies that resulted in the hospitalization of a dozen William Floyd middle school students, Tierney said.

Wilmer Castillo Garcia, 23, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child, after selling narcotics to an undercover officer and selling the THC gummies, the DA said.

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, in March 2025, Castillo Garcia sold THC gummies on Instagram, which ultimately led to 12 students from William Floyd Middle School ingesting them — the students went to Peconic Bay Medical Center after falling ill.

Then, on May 5, 2025, and May 12, 2025, Castillo Garcia sold cocaine and marijuana to an undercover law enforcement officer, the DA said.

On August 14, 2025, Castillo Garcia was arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony Senft, Jr., and ordered released on his own recognizance during the pendency of the case because the charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, Tierney said.

On October 4, 2025, while the case was pending, Castillo Garcia was arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency at the Lewiston Bridge in Lewiston, New York, while he was attempting to flee the United States, Tierney said.

Castillo Garcia was subsequently placed into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and brought to the Batavia Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, New York, for removal proceedings, the DA said.

At the request of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, ICE returned Castillo Garcia to Suffolk County upon a judicial writ to face the charges contained in the indictment, Tierney said.

On July 23, Castillo Garcia pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class B felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, before Justice Senft, the DA said.

Castillo Garcia is due back in court on September 10 and is expected to be sentenced to two years in prison, followed by two years of post-release supervision, Tierney said.

ICE currently has a detainer on Castillo Garcia, to take custody of him after he serves his prison sentence, the DA said.

He is being represented by Matthew Tuohy. "It's a very sad story," Tuohy said. "The boy was homeless on the street in his country and came here. He lacks education and made a bad decision, for which he's paid dearly. It's a very sad situation and I feel sorry for everyone involved."

"This defendant illegally sold cocaine, marijuana, and THC gummies. The gummies then got into the hands of children," which led to the children being hospitalized, the DA said. "Because the charges are non-bail eligible under current New York law, prosecutors could not ask for bail when the defendant was arrested, so the defendant fled to the Canadian border in an attempt to evade prosecution in this case. With the vigilance of our federal and Canadian partners he was apprehended and was brought back to Suffolk County where he has been held accountable for his crimes."