read and be sad, more drug busts, no freedom

US CA: Undercover In High School - Eight Arrested For Selling Drugs At South Tah
by William Ferchland, (18 Dec 2004) Union California

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - A four-month investigation by an undercover agent posing as a South Tahoe High School student resulted in the arrest Wednesday morning of eight teenagers accused of selling drugs during school hours.

The arrests occurred minutes after school began. Three teams of law enforcement officers from around the area in raid gear went into classrooms of the alleged drug dealers and arrested them in front of their classmates.

The undercover agent, a member of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control who pretended to be an upperclassman, bought psychedelic mushrooms, cocaine, marijuana and Ecstasy, authorities said. Prescription pills such as Ritalin, Adderall and Vicodin were also purchased.

South Lake Tahoe Police Lt. Martin Hewlett said the drugs the agent bought were in small quantities designed for personal use.

"Obviously we were able to buy fairly easily there," he said.

For the sake of safety, the identity and intent of the agent was unknown to many people, including School Resource Officer Johnny Poland, school administrators and district officials. Some students learned of the fake student's true role since the agent was part of the arresting team.

Classrooms with windows that authorities walked past provided students a bird's-eye view of their fellow students in handcuffs. One student, a senior who wished not to be identified, said authorities walked into his morning's civics class.

"Then they're, like, 'We need to talk to ( a student. ) He's under arrest for selling narcotics,' " the senior said.

The eight arrested included one female. Ages ranged from 14 to 17 years old. At least one student was arrested off-campus at a home, Hewlett said.

The eight will be prosecuted as juveniles and charged with felonies, said Assistant District Attorney Hans Uthe. They likely face expulsion from school but the district's board of education makes the final decision.

"Nobody in this group has been charged with straight possession," Uthe said. "This is about sales. That was the focus of our program."

At lunch, confused teachers were given a debriefing about the circumstances of the day.

"We didn't have any idea what was going on," said Mike Patterson, the auto shop teacher. "It's sad but ( the arrests ) didn't surprise me."

Instructor Chris Morgan recalled his time as a student at South Tahoe High School in the late 1980s when two undercover agents posing as students led to the arrest of classmates.

"History has a way of repeating itself," said Morgan, a history teacher.

Rumors circulated throughout campus, such as the number of those in custody. The rumor escalated until it reached above the 60 mark, said senior Mari Peshon. She expected the arrests to have a short-term effect on curbing sales on or near campus.

"It will have an impact but not a lasting one," Peshon said. "Hopefully it will have a ripple effect, but I don't know."

Associate Principal Jack Stafford said incidents of dealing drugs at the high school have increased because the population has swelled.

"I don't think it's rampant but obviously it needed some attention and it got it," Stafford said. "I applaud law enforcement's efforts."

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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin

i think their zealous crusade against youth is disgusting, these kids aint any hardcore dealers or criminals, their just trying to make sum extra money while at the same time providing a service, now their lifes are ruined because some cock-sucker indoctrinated in mis-information about drug use, esp. weed decided to force his morality and freedom infringing laws on others.

You shouldn't be selling in a highschool though... they deserved punishment for doing something stupid (selling in a place that has securities and procedures up the ass, and where you're basically under supervision at all times), but being charged with a felony like that might've been too much of a punishment... expulsion and posession charges would suit the "crime" a lot better.