Vine Founder Texted 'Candyshop' Before OD Death

6 charged with conspiring to distribute drugs in NYC
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 3, 2019 7:40 AM CDT
Vine Founder Texted 'Candyshop' Before OD Death
Colin Kroll   (YouTube)

Six people who allegedly operated a drug delivery service called Mike's Candyshop have been arrested in connection with the overdose death of Vine founder Colin Kroll. The suspects, ages 25 to 38, each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison on a charge of conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine. Mike's Candyshop offered on-demand delivery of drugs to customers in New York City between the hours of 6pm and midnight, according to a criminal complaint. "This illicit enterprise allegedly allowed people to order heroin and cocaine to their doorstep simply by calling the business phone number with the same convenience as if they were ordering a pizza," said Peter Fitzhugh, who heads up Homeland Security Investigations in New York, per ABC News.

The 34-year-old Kroll, also a co-founder and CEO of the HQ Trivia app, died of an accidental overdose of heroin, cocaine, and two kinds of fentanyl at his Manhattan apartment last December, per the BBC. Police say empty vials with colored tops were then traced to Mike's Candyshop, which Kroll had contacted via text message the day before his overdose. Ariel Tavarez, 38, of East Stroudsburg, Pa., allegedly oversaw orders that came in via text; New Yorkers Christian Baez, 33; Luis Meson, 31; Kevin Grullon, 25; and Joiffrey Urena, 27, allegedly acted as couriers, the complaint reads, per NBC New York. Gregoris Martinez, 34, was also among the group arrested Wednesday by police and federal agents. (More on the Kroll's death here.)

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