A teacher was arrested Monday at Somerton Middle School after authorities said methamphetamine was found in her bag.
Deana Lynn Salter, 55, of Yuma, was arrested Aug. 3 after a staff member found a makeup bag on the Somerton Middle School campus and looked inside to identify its owner, according to the Yuma County Sheriff's Office.
The staff member discovered a plastic bag containing a substance later identified as methamphetamine and turned the bag over to the school's resource officer. The school resource officer made contact with Salter and placed her under arrest, the sheriff's office said.
According to the sheriff's office, no students were involved in the incident.
The Yuma County Narcotics Task Force responded and took over the investigation. Authorities said the bag contained approximately 4.35 grams of methamphetamine.
Somerton School District No. 11 released a statement about the arrest on social media, saying, "On Aug. 3, the District became aware of an incident involving an employee. Law enforcement responded, and the employee was subsequently arrested. The district is fully cooperating with the investigating law enforcement agencies and will continue to do so throughout the investigative process.
"The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors remain our highest priority. We want to reassure our families and community that no students were involved in this incident, and there was no immediate threat to student safety. Had there been any risk to our students or school community, the district would have immediately notified families through our official communication channels."
Salter was booked on suspicion of possession of dangerous drugs in a drug-free zone, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and reckless child or vulnerable adult abuse, according to the sheriff's office.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Yuma County Sheriff's Office at 928-783-4427 or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.
