Casper Man Pleads Not Guilty to Six Drug Charges

A man arrested in November, denied six felony and misdemeanor drug charges brought against him Wednesday afternoon in Natrona County District Court.

His arrest came after an arrested teenager, who later died, told police he had been staying at the man's house.

Jon Alan Porter, 44, pleaded not guilty to felony charges of possession of marijuana and possession of psilocybin mushrooms. He also denied misdemeanor charges of possession of oxycodone, possession of amphetamine/dextroamphetamine, possession of lorazepam and marijuana cultivation.

He could face over 17 years behind bars and $34,000 in fines if convicted on all counts.

Porter was arrested Nov. 22, the same night police found 19-year-old Logan Winfield Martz extremely intoxicated inside a liquor store.

Police went to an address on South Lincoln at 7:15 p.m. after getting a call about a young man -- Martz -- who tried to "grab" someone. Officers found Martz in the liquor store on Second Street and saw he was "under the influence and was unable to comprehend reality."

Due to his "extreme hallucinations," officers couldn't interview Martz at the time. An officer took him to Wyoming Medical Center to be treated.

At the hospital, Martz said he was at a home on South Lincoln Avenue earlier in the evening and took “acid” with a group of teens. He wasn’t sure where everyone got the acid, but he named someone who he believed provided it.

Martz’s condition “quickly deteriorated” during the interview. He was eventually cleared from the hospital and taken to jail that night.

A short time later, police officers went to the address Martz had mentioned and found three juveniles, an 18-year-old woman and Porter, the homeowner. The teens and the 18-year-old were taken to the hospital for “drug overdoses and/or negative drug interactions,” according to court documents.

One of the teens told officers he had taken two “dabs” of PCP, while another teen had taken four “dabs.”

Officers got a search warrant for the home and allegedly found a number of drugs and paraphernalia. That search reportedly turned up nearly 10 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms; marijuana containers and paraphernalia throughout the home; several pills of oxycodone, lorazepam and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine; and marijuana as well as THC edibles.

In the basement, officers reportedly found a hidden, locked door. Behind the door was an alleged marijuana growing room containing eight live plants, a number of dead plants, grow lights, a ventilation system and roughly a pound of marijuana.

Porter was arrested. Police logged the alleged contraband as evidence.

Late the next day, Martz started exhibiting “extremely strange behavior and later began to have a seizure” while in custody at the Natrona County Detention Center. He was taken back to Wyoming Medical Center at about 2 a.m. on Nov. 24, and was transferred to the intensive care unit after an evaluation.

At 8 a.m., a Natrona County Sheriff’s investigator was called to the hospital and found Martz in critical condition.

A preliminary brain test showed no activity in Martz’s brain. He was placed on life support.

Two days later, at about 2 p.m. on Nov. 26, Martz was taken off life support and died.

Porter remains free on $5,000 surety bond. His trial is set for July 24.