Evidence in Hulst case admissible

A judge in Moorhead has ruled that nearly 9,000 grams of THC products, more than $73,000 in cash, and hundreds of grams of psilocybin mushrooms can be used as evidence in the trial of Martin Jay Hulst.

Hulst is accused of supplying his daughter with the THC products she allegedly distributed to classmates at Horizon Middle School East. The items were seized during a search of the Hulst home in May.

Hulst’s attorney, Michael Minard, argued in a motion to suppress the evidence that the search warrant was unconstitutional. Minard claimed the classmate who reported the distribution was not a reliable source and that investigators did not establish a strong enough connection between the school incident and the Hulst home.

The court rejected those arguments. Court documents state that the classmate’s account was corroborated by a May 18 incident in which 12 students fell ill after eating THC-laced candy. Two of those students were hospitalized.

The judge also found that the classmate’s information was based on firsthand knowledge, including her own visits to the Hulst home. The court determined a sufficient connection existed between the home and the drugs found at the school.

In July, Minard said the state’s case would likely collapse if the evidence were suppressed. With the motion now denied, the case is expected to move toward trial. Hulst faces multiple drug counts, including aggravated first-degree sale and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. His next pretrial hearing is scheduled for Nov. 6.