A freshman from the University of California at Santa Cruz faces federal drug charges for alleged sale of cocaine and methamphetamine via an app called "Banana Plug." (Photo11: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA)

A freshman from the University of California at Santa Cruz faces decades of jail time and millions of fines or allegedly of drugs through an app called "Banana Plug".

Collin Riley Howard, 18, was charged with "distributing and possessing intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine." according to the indictment filed Thursday by a federal grand jury in the northern district of California.

The police discovered the application, which offered the sale of cocaine, "molly" and "shrooms", after finding posters by advertising on campus. The application, available in the Apple App Store, also encouraged users to make special requests.

The name "Banana Plug" seems to be a play by the school's mascot, the banana slug and the term "slang", which means drug dealer.

UC Santa Cruz sweatshirt with Banana Slug mascot. (Photo11: Jefferson Graham, USA Today)

Undercover Homeland Security agents used the app to buy marijuana and cocaine in November 2018. They also contacted Howard via Snapchat to arrange for the purchase of additional controlled substances, including methamphetamine on three other occasions.

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

University spokesman, Scott Hernandez-Jason, told The Associated Press that Howard was "no longer a student of the University of Santa Cruz" but he declined to specify whether he had been deported or voluntarily withdrawn because of the laws protecting students' privacy.

If Howard is convicted, the two counts of cocaine carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $ 1,000,000 each, while the two counts of methamphetamine are subject to a minimum penalty of 5 years and 40 years. and a fine of $ 5,000,000.

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

More: Now that he has been convicted of all counts, what is the next step for El Chapo?

More: Saint ship! EDM cruise passengers arrested for drug charges

More: Customs officers make the largest fentanyl seizure ever recorded at the Arizona border crossing

Contribute: The Associated Press

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

Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/02/20/california-college-student-charged-creating-crhone-app-sell-drugs/2933182002/