By Brooke Curley
brooke@gilavalleycentral.net
SAFFORD- It’s tough to be in middle school, but it will be much harder for a single student who was charged with possession after buying marijuana in a school bathroom.
Authorities were called to the Safford Middle School at 698 W 11th St, Safford, on Monday morning in reference to a student who was in possession of marijuana. When officers arrived, they were greeted by the assistant principal and told that the marijuana was in a red container.
When the responding officers neared the red container that the school staff produced, they could immediately smell the stench of raw marijuana. According to the police report, the officer identified the contents as marijuana from his training and experience. The responding officers asked the school staff where the container came from. The staff said that they procured the container from a student’s backpack when the student gave it willingly to the school staff after he was asked bluntly by school staff if he had it in his possession. The student said he was holding the marijuana for another individual.
After asking the student if he would like to have his mother present, and after delivering the Miranda rights to the student, the Safford police officers handcuffed the juvenile and escorted him to a patrol vehicle. The student was later transported to the Police Department for booking purposes and to wait for his mother.
The officer also called the juvenile’s mother and advised her to come to the police department. When the juvenile’s mother arrived, the teen was once again given his Miranda rights. After this, the officer asked the juvenile if he would answer several questions, to which the juvenile said he would.
When asked where he had gotten the marijuana, the student replied that he had bought it on Friday on school grounds before returning home. The student paid $25 for two grams of marijuana. On Monday, the juvenile entered the school bathroom in the Saguaro Building on campus to make the transaction.
School staff later brought in the individuals named by the juvenile, but they denied all accusations against them. The red container was placed into evidence at the police department. The single juvenile that had the container of marijuana in his backpack was arrested for possession of marijuana.
