2 Park City teens had 'pink' shipped to friend's house, warrant states


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PARK CITY — Two search warrants unsealed Monday reveal more information about why authorities suspect that two 13-year-old boys in Park City may have died from an overdose of U-47700, a synthetic drug also known as "pink."

The warrants — one filed in Summit County's 3rd District Court, the other in Wasatch County's 4th District Court — outline an investigation into two other Park City teenagers who allegedly ordered the powerful synthetic opioid from China and had it mailed to a friend's home.

"(One of the teens) identified the white powder controlled substance shipped to (the other teen) from China, is an opioid analog called U-47700," according to one of the affidavits.

The investigation was prompted by the tragic deaths of Grant Seaver and his best friend and fellow Treasure Mountain Junior High classmate Ryan Ainsworth within 48 hours of each other last month.

As of Monday, toxicology test results from the two boys had not been completed and their causes of death are not yet officially known. But Park City police and the school district sent out warnings to parents almost immediately after the deaths about a synthetic opioid known as "pink" or "pinky," and set up a system to keep track of other at-risk students. Police K-9s were brought to the middle school and Park City High School to search every locker.

"Right now, it's speculation as to what the cause of death is. The reality is we started pointing toward pink based on social media conversations," Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter said in September. "The connection was made due to the fact when we were looking at the individuals that were close associates to the two deceased, that this group actually had conversations about using pink."

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On Sept. 13, the same day Ainsworth was discovered dead in his home, police interviewed a "juvenile source of information," according to a search warrant affidavit. That juvenile "advised investigators of a drug distribution organization."

Two teenage boys were named as part of that organization. At least one of the two attends Park City High, according to social media posts.

The source told police the two teens had asked her if they could have packages shipped to her house, the affidavit states. The boys told her "the contents of the delivery were legal," however, they wanted the package sent to the girl's house because the boys' "mail is screened for drugs by their parents," according to the warrant.

The package, which was shipped from Shanghai, China, contained "a clear bag containing a white powder substance," the affidavit states. The girl's mother turned the package over to police.

One of the teenage boys "is responsible for ordering the controlled substance or controlled substance analog from the internet, specifically the 'dark web,'" the warrant states. The dark web is like the regular internet, but requires certain software in order to access its search engine.

One boy "ordered the substance from China and distributed it" to the other. The informant said she "personally witnessed (one boy) distribute the substance to two of (his) juvenile friends," according to the affidavit.

As of Sept. 7, U-47700 was proposed by the DEA to be placed on the federal register of Schedule I drugs, meaning they have no known beneficial purpose. That goes into effect Oct. 7.

The warrant makes reference to a "previous case" at the residence at the home of the boy who allegedly ordered the substance online, but does not go into detail.

The search warrants were served at homes in Park City and Heber City, the warrants state.

Park City police did not immediately return calls to the Deseret News on Monday for comment.

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Pat Reavy

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