The Brief
A custodian found a bag with a suspicious white substance in a common area of the school after the first day of school, according to deputies.
Deputies tested the substance and said they determined it was cocaine.
Pamela Darien was charged with possession of cocaine and violation of controlled substance laws within a drug-free zone, according to officials.
BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. - A South Georgia school employee faces criminal charges after police said they discovered cocaine she brought into the school.
Cocaine found in Georgia school
What we know
The drug was found at Sallie Zetterower Elementary in Bulloch County, Georgia.
A custodian found a bag with a suspicious white substance in a common area of the school after the first day of school, according to deputies. They say school administration contacted the school resource officer about the item. The deputy took the bag for testing and determined it was cocaine.
Bulloch County Schools officials worked with deputies to review security camera footage, according to deputies, and found the woman who the cocaine is believed to belong to.
Pamela Darien was charged with possession of cocaine and violation of controlled substance laws within a drug-free zone, according to officials. Darien voluntarily surrendered to authorities at the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.
Darien is no longer employed by the school district.
Deputies said no children came in contact with the cocaine.
What is a Drug-Free School Zone?
Dig deeper
Areas within that 1,000‑foot range are designated as "Drug Free School Zones." Under Georgia law, it is illegal to manufacture, distribute, dispense, or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance or marijuana in the zones.
How do Drug-Free School Zones affect sentencing?
Dig deeper
If someone is found with drugs in a drug-free zone, the charges can be raised from misdemeanors to felonies, according to Georgia law. That means there can be harsher penalties, including up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both.
The Source
Information in this article came from the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office and Georgia Emergency Management's website about school safety laws.
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