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Police: College student created 'Banana Plug' app to sell drugs

A Northern California college freshman is facing felony charges for allegedly creating an iPhone app he dubbed the Banana Plug to sell illicit drugs.Collin Howard on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to federal drug charges in San Jose after a grand jury indicted him on Feb. 14. Howard, 18, had earlier pleaded not guilty to similar drug charges in Santa Cruz County where he was arrested in his dorm room at the University of California, Santa Cruz on Nov. 28.The investigation began in November when a university campus police officer noticed one of many posters hung on campus advertising an app called Banana Plug, prosecutors said. The school’s mascot is the banana slug and plug is slang for a drug dealer.Banana Plug could be downloaded from Apple’s online store and was advertised as a free game with the motto “We Have What You Want,” but users could place drug orders through the app, investigators said.Campus police and Department of Homeland Security agents said they launched an undercover sting operation that included four drug buys using the app.University spokesman Scott Hernandez-Jason said Howard is “no longer a student UC Santa Cruz.” Citing student privacy laws, Hernandez-Jason declined to say if Howard was expelled or voluntarily withdrew.Howard’s federal public defender, Rhona Taylor, did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. Howard was freed on bail in federal and state court.U.S. Attorney spokesman Abraham Simmons did not immediately respond to emailed questions about why federal charges were filed after Howard was charged in state court in Santa Cruz.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (Video from KGO) —

A Northern California college freshman is facing felony charges for allegedly creating an iPhone app he dubbed the Banana Plug to sell illicit drugs.

Collin Howard on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to federal drug charges in San Jose after a grand jury indicted him on Feb. 14. Howard, 18, had earlier pleaded not guilty to similar drug charges in Santa Cruz County where he was arrested in his dorm room at the University of California, Santa Cruz on Nov. 28.

The investigation began in November when a university campus police officer noticed one of many posters hung on campus advertising an app called Banana Plug, prosecutors said. The school’s mascot is the banana slug and plug is slang for a drug dealer.

Banana Plug could be downloaded from Apple’s online store and was advertised as a free game with the motto “We Have What You Want,” but users could place drug orders through the app, investigators said.

Campus police and Department of Homeland Security agents said they launched an undercover sting operation that included four drug buys using the app.

University spokesman Scott Hernandez-Jason said Howard is “no longer a student UC Santa Cruz.” Citing student privacy laws, Hernandez-Jason declined to say if Howard was expelled or voluntarily withdrew.

Howard’s federal public defender, Rhona Taylor, did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. Howard was freed on bail in federal and state court.

U.S. Attorney spokesman Abraham Simmons did not immediately respond to emailed questions about why federal charges were filed after Howard was charged in state court in Santa Cruz.

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California college freshman charged with selling cocaine, meth through 'Banana Plug' app

A Northern California college freshman faces felony charges for allegedly creating an iPhone app he dubbed the Banana Plug to sell illicit drugs. Collin Howard on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to federal drug charges in San Jose. (Feb. 21) AP

A freshman at the University of California Santa Cruz is facing decades in jail and millions in fines after police say he sold drugs through an app he called "Banana Plug."

Collin Riley Howard, 18, was charged “with distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine,” according to the indictment filed Thursday by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of California.

Police discovered the app, which offered the sale of cocaine, “molly” and “shrooms,” after finding posters advertising it on campus. The app, which was available in Apple’s App Store, also encouraged users to make special requests.

The name “Banana Plug” seems to be a play on the school’s mascot the banana slug and the slang term plug, meaning drug dealer.

A UC Santa Cruz sweatshirt, featuring the Banana Slug mascot. (Photo11: Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY)

Undercover Homeland Security agents used the app to purchase marijuana and cocaine in November. Agents also contacted Howard through Snapchat to set up the purchase of additional controlled substances, including methamphetamine, on three other occasions.

On the fourth meeting, campus police arrested Howard in his dorm room. He pleaded not guilty to the federal drug charges and was released after the initial hearing.

University spokesman Scott Hernandez-Jason told the Associated Press that Howard is “no longer a student UC Santa Cruz," but cited student privacy laws in denying to say whether Howard was expelled or voluntarily withdrew.

A freshman at the University of California Santa Cruz is facing federal drug charges for allegedly selling cocaine and methamphetamine through an app he called ‘Banana Plug.’ (Photo11: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA)

If Howard is convicted, the two cocaine-related charges bear a maximum sentence of 20 years prison time and a fine of $1 million each, while the two charges related to methamphetamine carry a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years, and a fine of $5 million

Howard is scheduled to appear in court Friday for a bail review hearing.

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Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow N’dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg

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‘The Banana Splits’ are getting a horror movie

One banana, two banana, three banana, four: “The Banana Splits” are back again — this time with a bit of gore.

Warner Bros. announced Tuesday that the formerly kid-friendly animal band “The Banana Splits” are getting a new horror movie.

In this new thriller, a boy named Harley is spending his birthday with his family at a taping of “The Banana Splits” TV show. But the outing takes an unexpected turn that involves a rising body count.

It’s definitely a different take from “The Banana Splits” that most fans will remember.

The original Banana Splits first appeared on television in 1968 as hosts of the classic children’s variety show “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour.” The program was a team-up of sorts between executive producers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and Sid and Marty Krofft, who designed the costumes for band members Fleegle the beagle, Bingo the gorilla, Drooper the lion and Snorky the elephant before they went on to produce “H.R. Pufnstuf.”

More recently the Banana Splits were back on the air in new shorts on Cartoon Network and Boomerang in 2008.

In addition to Bingo, Fleegle, Snorky and Drooper the new movie will star Finlay Wojtak-Hissong (“The Kindness of Strangers”) as Harley, Dani Kind (“Wyonna Earp”) as Harley’s mother Beth, Romeo Carere as Harley’s brother Austin, Steve Lund (“Street Legal,” “Schitt’s Creek”) as Harley’s father Mitch and Sara Canning (“The Vampire Diaries,” “A Series of Unfortunate Events”) as the show’s producer Rebecca.

“The Banana Splits” is directed by Danishka Esterhazy from a script by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas.

Produced by Warner Bros. Television Group’s Blue Ribbon Content, “The Banana Splits” will premiere later this year through Warner Bros. Home Entertainment before it makes its TV debut on Syfy.

tracy.brown@latimes.com