Two teens charged in Stevenson student drug probe
A much-publicized investigation into drug sales at Stevenson High School has resulted in juvenile charges against two students, police announced Wednesday.
A 16-year-old Lincolnshire boy and a 15-year-old Buffalo Grove boy were charged in juvenile petitions with unlawful delivery of cannabis and conspiracy of unlawful delivery of cannabis.
The teens were not identified because they are juveniles.
The misdemeanor charges mark the end of the Lincolnshire Police Department's investigation, which focused on text messages students exchanged on their cellphones.
The school's investigation is continuing.
“This really doesn't have any bearing on the Stevenson High School investigation,” school board President Bruce Lubin said. “We want to make sure that we are doing everything to ensure illegal substances are not sold or purchased at Stevenson during the school day.”
The police investigation, which became public last week, began in December when Stevenson officials informed them about drug usage and drug dealing among students at the school, Investigator Adam Hyde said in the news release.
Police recovered less than 10 grams of marijuana from one student during the investigation, Hyde said during a follow-up interview Wednesday.
Police conducted between 20 and 30 student interviews. Some of the students interviewed witnessed drug activity, Hyde said.
Original media reports quoted students who said between 100 and 200 students were under investigation, and spokesman Jim Conrey quickly disputed that claim. The figure cited by Lincolnshire police is much closer to the number of teens interviewed as part of the school's investigation, he said.
After getting a search warrant from the state's attorney's office, the police officer stationed at Stevenson, Kim Covelli, searched the cellphone of one suspect and reviewed more than 1,000 text messages that revealed information about drug dealing, Hyde said.
“She handled this investigation diligently and did everything professionally,” Hyde said.
Drug transactions were arranged during the school day but the drug exchanges took place off school property, Hyde said in the news release.
The juvenile petitions were filed Tuesday, Hyde said. Police do not anticipate any additional arrests from the investigation.
The school's investigation is coming to a close, too, Conrey said.
More than two students have faced disciplinary action so far, he said. He would not say how many students have been punished as a result of the investigation.
Punishments depend on the extent of the students' behavior, Conrey said. They've ranged from the loss of campus privileges to suspension, he said.
No students have been expelled, nor have any expulsion hearings been scheduled by the school board, Conrey said.
When asked how the investigation and the charges reflect on the school, Lubin said officials “would like to get all this behind us.”
Other school board members declined to comment Wednesday.