Canutillo High School teacher arrested, campus drug use alleged

CANUTILLO, Texas -- An employee at Canutillo High School has been arrested by school district police on charges involving on-campus drug use, officials confirmed Wednesday.

While Canutillo Independent School District administrators declined to identify the arrested employee, ABC-7 has learned the individual was a teacher.

CISD said in a statement to ABC-7 that officers had received a tip notifying them about possible drug use at the school by the employee.

The arrest occurred after a police canine discovered the person was allegedly in possession of THC, a chemical ingredient in marijuana that is considered a controlled substance; authorities said it is illegal to possess THC in a drug-free school zone.

The individual was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility and later released on a personal recognizance bond, authorities indicated. Such bonds are typically granted when a person has no prior criminal record and is not considered to be a danger to the community.

"This is now a legal and CISD personnel matter and is being handled accordingly. The district does not comment on personnel matters," the district's statement read.

At the time of the drug probe, officials said the police canine also sniffed out a firearm in another employee's vehicle in the school's parking lot. That worker is not facing any criminal charges, but may face administrative discipline by CISD.