Phish Fans Face Felony Charges Following Drug Bust at MVP Arena Concerts
Albany, NY — A narcotics investigation at MVP Arena during a recent Phish concert series led to the arrest of four men on felony drug possession charges. The Albany County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police uncovered a significant stash of psychoactive drugs, highlighting ongoing concerns about drug use at large music events.
During the concerts, authorities seized a staggering array of substances, including:
- 1,380 doses of LSD
- 381 grams of ketamine
- 274 grams of psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
- 173 grams of Xanax
- 103 grams of cocaine
- 58 grams of MDMA
The majority of these drugs were discovered during the first arrests on Friday night
Among those arrested was 43-year-old Ryan O’Donnell from Massachusetts, who faces three felony charges for possession of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor charge for using drug paraphernalia.
Another suspect, 49-year-old Craig Zawistowski from Colorado, was charged with three felony possession counts. Following these initial arrests, two additional suspects were apprehended on Saturday: 34-year-old Corey Murphy-Egri from Massachusetts and 34-year-old Thomas Kinsman from Vermont, both facing similar felony charges
According to police reports, O’Donnell was found in possession of most of the psilocybin and Xanax, as well as a considerable amount of ketamine, cocaine, and LSD. Zawistowski reportedly had approximately 800 doses of LSD along with additional ketamine and MDMA
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple noted that the three-night concert series attracted around 40,000 fans, with police intervention primarily focused on these drug-related incidents.
He remarked that the only other notable issues involved the use of Narcan, a medication designed to reverse opioid overdoses, which was administered to prevent overdoses among concertgoers
This latest incident sheds light on the challenges of managing drug use at large music events and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to curb substance abuse.
As concert venues continue to draw large crowds, the balance between maintaining safety and allowing for a festive atmosphere remains a pressing concern for both authorities and event organizers.