Stock image | Photo by MattGush/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News
ST. GEORGE — A part-time employee of a Washington County high school suspected of selling marijuana products to underaged youth was recently arrested on multiple felony charges.
The investigation into the alleged incident was handled by the Washington County Drug Task Force after the agency received a call from a school resource officer at Enterprise High School at the end of September reporting a woman who was possibly selling the products to several students.
According to the probable cause statement filed in support of the arrest, a parent of one of the students contacted the school after finding a series of text messages on their child’s cellphone between the suspect, 29-year-old Annaliese Weston, and several juveniles.
A review of the messages revealed multiple text conversations discussing how the suspect was “giving marijuana gummy products” to the juveniles, as well as using the marijuana products with the youth, authorities allege.
Through the course of several interviews, agents learned there were a number of monetary transactions between the youth and the suspect, and at least one of the transactions allegedly took place on school property after the suspect met up with the youth during an after-school event last month.
Steve Dunham, communications director for Washington County School District, told St. George News the parent reached out to the school and notified the principal of the suspicious texts. From there, the principal immediately contacted the school resource officer, and the incident was turned over to law enforcement. The district was also advised of the situation shortly thereafter.
Dunham said the suspect is a part-time employee of the high school, and following the meeting with the parent, the principal met Weston out in the parking lot and took her credentials as soon as she arrived the following day, before she entered the school. He said the suspect has not entered the school building since the allegations came to light.
On Oct. 4, agents responded to the suspect’s home and placed Weston under arrest. According to the report, the suspect initially agreed to answer questions and reportedly admitted to selling marijuana to one of the juveniles, but when agents asked where the transaction took place, the suspect said she wanted to end the interview.
Weston was booked into jail at Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane. She faces a total of three charges, including one second-degree felony distribution charge, along with two child endangerment charges, each a third-degree felony.
Weston was released with a promise to appear later that day, and she is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court Dec. 2. A review of court records indicates the suspect has no prior criminal cases or charges in Utah.
Dunham said it was thanks to a vigilant parent who took the time to see what was on their child’s cellphone that the situation was brought to light, serving as a reminder of how important it is for parents to be involved in their children’s lives and keep track of what they’re doing online.
Dunham said the district’s ultimate goal is to keep students safe, and thanks to the quick actions taken by the principal, as well as the school resource officer and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the situation was resolved quickly.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.
Be the first to comment