By Shannon Lukens.
Steamboat Police are searching for a man allegedly involved in a drug case in early December, in which a teacher at Soda Creek Elementary found a baggie of cocaine in the jacket of a kindergartener. There is a warrant out for the man’s arrest. Steamboat Police Chief Sherry Burlingame says they take cases like this very seriously, especially when it involves children.
The soundbite says, “The child had come to school (Soda Creek Elementary) and the teacher discovered a baggie of cocaine in their jacket. They immediately contacted the police department. We got involved with our officers and detectives and the All Crimes Enforcement Apprehension Team. We immediately conducted interviews and did additional investigations on it. We do have a suspect and there is a warrant out for the suspect. We are actively looking for him at this point in time. Obviously we take all cases like this, especially involving children, very very seriously and that’s why it immediately got our attention and why we have been working so diligently over the last three months or so.”
The incident happened in early December, but the story was first reported Thursday night by CBS4 out of Denver.
Here is the link: https://denver.cbslocal.com/2022/03/10/kindergarten-teacher-bag-cocaine-steamboat-springs/
Steamboat Springs School District Superintendent Brad Meeks tells Steamboat Radio that the school district and staff took the lead from Steamboat Police for several reasons. It was an active investigation, police were looking for the suspect and they didn’t want to jeopardize that, and none of the students were in danger.
The soundbite says, “When this was reported to the police (when it happened in early December) and it became an active police investigation, the school district and our staff were taking the lead from the police because it was an active police investigation and the school district didn’t want to overstep our bounds and jeopardize the investigation as the police were looking for the suspect in this case. In addition, there was no further danger at school. The classes could resume that morning. That’s how we proceeded that particular day.”
Dr. Meeks emphasized that it was an isolated incident, no one else was in danger, and it was handled quickly.
The following press release has just been released by the City of Steamboat Springs.
Suspicious Incident Remains Under Investigation
Steamboat Springs Police Actively Working With Other Agencies
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-March 11, 2022-In December of 2021, the Steamboat Springs Police Department (SSPD) was notified by the Soda Creek Elementary School administration of a suspicious incident.
When a young student arrived for school, the teacher greeted the student with a hug. That teacher felt something unusual and found a suspicious baggie in the hood of the student’s jacket. Police learned the suspicious item was a baggie containing a powdery substance, which later tested positive for cocaine. The substance is undergoing further analysis by Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Steamboat Springs Police, members of the All Crimes Enforcement Team (A.C.E.T.), and the Routt County Department of Human Services immediately began an investigation into the incident. A suspect was quickly identified.
Detectives secured an arrest warrant for the suspect and executed another search warrant at the suspect’s residence. The suspect is still at large, and the Steamboat Springs Police are actively working with additional agencies to locate the suspect.
This is an active investigation, and no additional information will be released at this time.
Public Information Office
City of Steamboat Springs