FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – Mary and Jacob Hughes are parents, community members, and practitioners within the SpiritKeepers tribal and ecclesiastical tradition, a faith-based organization centered on sacramental, spiritual, and ancestral practices. They are also the parents of two children.
On November 14, 2025, Mary and Jacob Hughes were detained by law enforcement during a public event in Osage Beach, Missouri, in connection with allegations involving psilocybin mushrooms. The matter is currently pending, and no findings of guilt have been made. Both individuals were released on bond.
This statement is issued not to speculate on legal outcomes, but to ensure the public record reflects the full human context surrounding this situation.
A Family Already Harmed
In recent years, the Hughes family has endured significant hardship unrelated to this case. While traveling from Michigan to Missouri, their trailer was burned, resulting in the loss of nearly all of their personal belongings. They have also reported being subjected to harassment and attacks connected to their religious and spiritual identity.
These events left the family displaced and forced into a defensive posture for their own safety and survival.
Faith, Not Profit
SpiritKeepers is a tribal and ecclesiastical community whose members assert that entheogenic sacraments—including mushrooms—are used as part of sincerely held religious and spiritual practices. Supporters emphasize that these practices are rooted in prayer, ceremony, and healing—not commercial exploitation.
Members of the community stress that Mary and Jacob Hughes are not traffickers, criminals, or bad actors, but parents and practitioners navigating a complex and evolving legal landscape surrounding religious freedom, sacramental use, and cultural expression.
A Broader Conversation
Across the United States, faith communities, indigenous groups, and ecclesiastical organizations are increasingly calling for clarity, consistency, and compassion in how entheogenic sacraments are treated under the law—particularly when no harm, violence, or victimization is alleged.
This situation highlights the need for:
• Greater public understanding of sacramental and religious practices
• Thoughtful dialogue around religious freedom and entheogens
• Compassion for families caught in legal gray areas
Closing
Mary and Jacob Hughes deserve to be seen first as human beings, parents, and members of a spiritual community—not reduced to headlines or assumptions.
The community asks for privacy for their children, fairness in the legal process, and an informed, compassionate public conversation.