The arrests came after a tip was called into the Sheriff’s Office, according Spalding High School Principal Derrell Jeffcoat, who said in a press release Friday from the Griffin-Spalding County Schools, “We appreciated the phone tip made to the Sheriff’s Department. When we receive information about an illegal substance that might be on our campus, we will investigate.”
Following up on that call received Thursday, Nov. 1, the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office and Spalding High School administrators conducted a day-long investigation that culminated with the arrest of five students on various drug and weapons charges.
According to Sheriff Wendell Beam, agents with the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit received information of the violations and the
investigation lead to the following arrests:
• Charles Braxton Stephens, 17, 12th grade, 17 Laurelwood Circle, Griffin, on charges of possession of marijuana less than 1 ounce, possession of alcohol by person under 21 years of age and possession of a weapon (knife) at a public school.
• Tanner Kenneth Gaff, 17, 12th Grade, 758 Morgan Dairy Road, Milner, on charges of possession of marijuana less than 1 ounce, and possession of a weapon (knife) at a public school.
• Joshua Blake Jones, 17, 12th grade, 29 Mimosa Road, Griffin, on charge of possession of marijuana less than 1 ounce.
• Andrew Todd Shiver, 17, 11th grade, 1217 Ethridge Mill Road, Griffin, on charge of possession of a weapon (knife) at a public school.
• A 16-year-old juvenile, 11th grade, on charges of possession of marijuana less than 1 ounce, possession of Schedule II controlled substance, possession of Schedule II controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school zone.
Schedule II is a category of drugs considered to have a strong potential for abuse or addiction but that have legitimate medical use. Among the substances so classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency are morphine, cocaine, pentobarbital, oxycodone, alphaprodine and methadone.
Beam thanked School Superintendent Curtis Jones and Principal Darrell Jeffcoat for their cooperation in this investigation.
Jeffcoat said Friday, “We are obligated to keep our school as safe as possible. We thank those who cooperated with us yesterday especially the Spalding County Sheriff’s Department.“
The Spalding High principal said, “We want to feel as confident as we can that drugs or weapons of any sort are not on Spalding High School property. This includes any place on our campus – in vehicles, on visitors and of course with our students.”
Stephens and Gaff were on the Jaguars soccer team. Jones was on the swim team.
While they have made bad choices at ages 16 & 17 they should not be punished for the rest of their lives. My prayers are with them and their familes.