Danie M. Huffman
wdreporter2@yahoo.com
Eighteen arrests were made during a recent drug ring bust in a local hotel.
Authorities said the subjects ranged in age from 16 to 21.
Fifteen of the suspects involved were at least 17.
The Weatherford-Special Crimes Unit conducted the undercover investigation, which was said to involve a number of various drugs.
According to SCU Lt. Mike Camp, investigators posed as drug dealers and buyers at a local motel off the Interstate, where nine transactions were conducted.
Authorities seized 59 grams of Ecstasy, two grams of Xanax, two grams of marijuana, and 12 capsules of a powdery substances, to be tested at a Texas Department of Public Safety laboratory for authenticity.
Two 16-year-olds were taken to a juvenile detention facility, while the others were booked into the Parker County Justice Center.
With the ages of the minors involved, sheriff’s authorities were not allowed to disclose which area high schools the teens were from.
A sheriff’s spokesperson did confirm seven of the suspects were enrolled at two area high schools. The schools were notified within 24 hours as per the criminal code of procedure.
Authorities said some of the students were at the undercover drug buy to sell and/or purchase the various drugs.
Derik Moore, Weatherford ISD spokesperson, said Weatherford ISD’s primary goal is to teach students in a safe, nurturing environment.
“And we do our very best to provide programs for our students that are geared toward drug and alcohol prevention, bullying and so forth,” Moore said. “Although this particular incident did not occur during school time or on school property, WISD will continue to stay in close contact with local law enforcement officials to make sure our schools (and our community) remain in a safe environment.”
He added WISD has teamed with school administrators, local law enforcement, juvenile probation officers and campus student resource officers to present a program in March during Celebrate Texas Public Schools Week, which will focus on some of the latest trends in America’s youth. The program will be presented to all secondary students and will focus on drug and alcohol prevention, gang activity, Internet usage, text devices and bullying.
A felony warrant was issued for a female on existing drug charges of delivery of marijuana in an unrelated drug case.
“The ages of the defendants are certainly cause for concern and I would caution parents to be alert for signs of abuse involving drug use by our teens,” said Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler, who encouraged parents to talk with their children and be familiar with their friends and where they are hanging out.
According to Fowler, the case began as suspected drug activities involving the illegal use of pharmaceutical drugs including Ecstasy (MDMA) and Xanax.
Investigators said the drugs are a synthetic psychoactive drug chemically similar to methamphetamine and the hallucinogenic mescaline.
The use of the drugs have become popular with teenagers.
MDMA can cause confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug cravings and severe anxiety.
Parents can learn more about drugs by logging onto the National Institute on Drug Abuse at www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/ecstasy.
