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Monessen football players arrested after police find guns, drugs
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Police arrested three Monessen football players after locker-room searches found guns as well as suspected heroin and marijuana.
Monessen police chief Mark Gibson said police received a call from head football coach Andy Pacak about 8 p.m. Thursday. Mr. Gibson said coaches had suspicions that some players had brought illegal drugs into the locker room, so they searched the lockers.
the chief said in one, they found suspected marijuana; in another suspected heroin and a .22-caliber gun; and in a third a 9mm gun. Mr. Gibson said the team was down on the football field.
As a result, a 15-year-old was charged with possession of marijuana and possession with intent to deliver; a 16-year-old was charged with possession of a weapon on school property and possession of a firearm by a minor; and a 17-year-old was charged with possession and intent to deliver suspected heroin, possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number and possession of a weapon on school property.
The three were taken to the Westmoreland County Juvenile Detention Center where they awaited a detention hearing.
The office of Monessen superintendent Linda Marcolini issued a statement, saying, "The school district is very distraught over the current alleged situation. The school is doing an internal investigation, but the legal matters have been handed over to the local authorities."
The statement said that the "top priority" of the district is the "safety and security of all our students," noting students go through metal detectors each day.
First Published October 5, 2012 12:59 pm
