Officials: Arrests don’t indicate heroin ring
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published Feb. 13, 2008

The recent arrests of three Westlake High School students is not evidence of widespread drug use or selling at the school, district officials said.

“There’s nothing to show there’s any heroin ring in the public schools,” said Andrea Rocco, president of the Westlake Board of Education.

School officials and leaders of Westlake Parent Connection have scheduled a series of public meetings beginning Feb. 19 to address the issue of drugs in the community.

On Jan. 30, Westlake Police arrested an 18-year-old female student at the high school. Police said she admitted using heroin that day and had quantities of the drug in her possession.

She was interviewed by police and school officials at 9 a.m. that day based on a tip and observation that the girl was acting out of character, Capt. Guy Turner of the Westlake Police Department said.

“While she was being interviewed, she started going into withdrawal,” said Turner, who serves as department spokesman and was not present during the interview.

The student was later released. A county grand jury will determine what charges will be filed against her.

Further investigation led police to issue search warrants on Feb. 6 for two

Westlake residences — one on Hummingbird Circle and the other on Center Ridge Road.

While the searches were taking place, police arrested at the high school two 17-year-old male Westlake High students in connection with drug activity.

Westlake Police said they recovered these three bongs from the Center Ridge Road home of Amy Ross. (West Life photo by Kevin Kelley)

At the Hummingbird residence, police said they found some drug paraphernalia.  At the Center Ridge Road residence, police said they found marijuana and cocaine, as well as three bongs, one over four feet in length. Police said the 39-year-old Amy Ross, the mother of one of the 17-year-old students, took ownership of the cocaine, telling officers it was for her personal use.

Ross was released the same day, and her son was released into her custody. Charges against Ross will be determined by the grand jury.

Charges against the two 17-year-olds will be determined by a county prosecutor who will likely file charges in juvenile court.

Turner said one of the juveniles had been cited twice for underage possession of cigarettes and once for underage consumption of alcohol.

The arrests have been one of the biggest cases Westlake Police have handled in recent years, at least in terms of public interest, Turner said.

“Those who thought heroin was a ghetto drug have just had a real wake-up call,” Turner told West Life.

Turner emphasized that no drug transactions are known to have taken place on school property.

Westlake Superintendent Dan Keenan told West Life that the district will do everything possible to make sure illegal drugs are not present at the schools.

He said that if students are exposed to drugs off of school property, then drug abuse is still going to be an issue.

“We have to recognize this is a community issue,” he said.

The recent arrests, the superintendent said, show that the use of illegal drugs – even heroin – can occur “in places like Westlake and by kids at all achievement levels.”

Keenan, other district officials and Westlake Parent Connection have developed a community action plan in light of the arrests.

A public meeting, entitled “Community 411 – A Night Of Honest Communication,” will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Westlake Schools Performing Arts Center on the campus of Westlake High School, 27830 Hilliard Blvd.

Panel members will include Keenan, Westlake High School Principal Tim Freeman, Westlake City Schools Prevention Coordinator Kathy McGinty, Westlake Police Resource Officer Scott Fortkamp and child and adolescent psychologist Tony DiBiasio. The program is open to adults and adolescents.