Natrona County High School Student Accused of Selling Marijuana Candies to Classmates [UPDATED]
UPDATE:
Natrona County High School officials have issued a statement about the police investigation of a student accused of selling marijuana edibles on campus.
Here's the full statement from school officials:
When NCSD receives a report of an alleged occurrence, it promptly conducts an investigation based on school district policies and regulations. Some situations may require NCSD officials to notify School Response Officers (local law enforcement), depending on the specifications of the occurrence. NCSD works closely with SROs as they conduct investigations. That is what happened in this situation.
Because this matter involves a student(s), we are unable provide details of the school district's investigation.
Natrona County School District's primary goal is student and staff safety. This includes working closely with local law enforcement, including School Response Officers, to keep students and staff safe. NCSD's dedication to the safety of students and staff remains our primary focus.
Original Story:
A number of Natrona County High School students may have purchased marijuana edibles and prescription pills from a fellow student who allegedly sold THC-laced gummy candies and chocolates during school for $10 each.
The accused student is not named in court documents, but an affidavit filed in support of a search warrant says Casper police searched and seized evidence from the student's person and vehicle, as well as an address in Casper.
A school resource officer writes in the affidavit that on Jan. 30, two sources said the accused student was taking trips to Denver with his father and when he returned, selling flavored gummy candies laced with THC.
One of the sources said he bought 10 gummies from the student for $50 on Jan. 22. That transaction reportedly took place inside the accused student's home, where the source allegedly saw four or five containers full of gummies on the student's nightstand in his bedroom.
Both sources knew the accused student was selling the candies to "numerous other students," court documents say, though the sales were not taking place on school property as far as those sources knew.
One of the sources added the accused student may have been selling pills, having reportedly offered to sell the source multiple prescription drugs in the past.
On March 1, the school resource officer spoke with a third source who said another student -- who allegedly got THC-laced candy from the accused student -- offered to sell him said candies.
The third source reportedly said the accused student kept a stash of drugs under the passenger seat of his vehicle, which he kept parked off school grounds.
A campus supervisor told the school resource officer that she had received "numerous reports" from students about the accused student selling THC-laced "edibles," including gummy candies and chocolates, during lunch for $10 apiece, the affidavit says.
On Feb. 27, the campus supervisor reportedly saw the accused student approach another student and initiate what appeared to be a drug deal, but the supervisor lost track of the two students when they left the lunch area. She didn't see them again that day.
Then, on March 3, the campus supervisor was investigating an issue with another student when a full prescription bottle -- reportedly bearing the accused student's name -- was found in the student's backpack.
The accused student was summoned to the office, and a sandwich bag containing two types of gummy candy stamped with "THC" was allegedly found in his backpack. The bag reportedly contained 15 pieces of candy, which weighed 3.2 ounces without packaging.
The affidavit says the accused student allegedly gave the pills to the other student about a week beforehand, because he felt the pills would help his feelings of depression. The student decided not to take any of the pills and just held onto them, court documents say.
In an interview later that day, for which his father was present, the accused student reportedly told the school resource officer he bought 100 THC candies for $50 about a month beforehand from another student.
He was adamant that the candy was for personal use to manage pain, court documents say, and he had not sold or given any away. The student also reportedly said he had not shown or told anyone about the THC candy.
The student allegedly said he only ate half a piece of candy per day, and reportedly became "very offended" when asked whether he had taken more on occasion.
Moments later the accused student implied he took more on weekends after the officer told the student that according to his own statement about dosage, he should have 85 pieces of candy left, but only had 15 pieces with him.
The student allegedly insisted he did not have any THC candy besides what was in the bag reportedly found in his backpack.
Court documents say the officer seized the accused student's cell phone and vehicle in order to prevent destruction of evidence until a search warrant could be obtained.
The affidavit does not indicate whether the accused student was taken into custody. His name has not been released.
"The issue has been handled," Casper Police Sgt. Mike Ogden said Monday.
"Our school resources officers are always working with the administrators of the schools to ensure students are as safe as possible," Ogden added.