Saturday, March 24, 2001

By David Josar
Stuttgart bureau

STUTTGART, Germany — Eight Patch American High School students and one former student are facing a variety of drug charges related to the possession and selling of ecstasy and marijuana.

Among them is one teen who made as many as 100 illegal drug deliveries to his classmates, officials said.

On Thursday, the 6th Area Support Group Provost Marshal’s Office concluded an investigation that began earlier this month following a tip about drug sales at the school.

The school is about 300 yards from the U.S. European Command headquarters and is attended by many children of the top U.S. military leaders stationed in Europe.

"I think we got complacent," said Provost Marshal Maj. Shaun Driscoll on Thursday. "It surprised us to find out how much was occurring on school property in the evening and during lunch. One of the kids is a major dealer."

That teen-ager, according to Driscoll, told investigators he would take drug orders from classmates, travel to downtown Stuttgart to purchase marijuana and ecstasy and then return to school to complete the transactions.

He charged 20 marks (about $10) for a "hit" of ecstasy and 50 marks for a "50 sack" of marijuana, which was enough to make several marijuana cigarettes, Driscoll said.

The boy told investigators he had made about 100 such deliveries this school year, but police said they believe the number is substantially higher and probably had been occurring for the past two years.

The deals, according to police interviews with the students, would be completed behind the building near the school used for junior Reserved Officer Training Corps, at the school tennis courts and in the school.

Police did not confiscate any drugs at the school. The only drug recovered was one hit of ecstasy that was turned in by a student interviewed by investigators.

Most of the teens were getting the drugs at nightclubs in downtown Stuttgart, near the Schlossplatz, Driscoll said.

School officials are urging parents to be more aware of where their children are when they’re not home and to talk to them about drug use.

"It absolutely shocked me," said Ira J. Sheier, the Patch American High School principal. "I would never have thought we had someone who was dealing. We just didn’t see any evidence."

Both Scheier and Driscoll said so-called designer and party drugs like ecstasy are easily available in Germany, making them a strong lure for teen-agers.

Driscoll added that local law-enforcement tends to focus its efforts on major dealers, not social users.

Patch has about 600 students in grades seven through 12, and according to standardized test scores compiled by the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, they are some of the brightest students in DODDS-Europe.

"Nine out of 572 [students] is a small number," Scheier said. "But it’s still too many."

The students who have been charged are between 14 and 18 years old, Driscoll said. Their names are not being released.

Four students, including one who had dropped out of school, were charged March 13 with possession and distribution of illegal drugs, which included marijuana and ecstasy.

Five more students were charged with possession of marijuana Thursday.

Their cases will be heard before the Civilian Misconduct Authority, which is convened by the 6th Area Support Group.

The teens do not face incarceration but could be banned from post or may be forced to return to the United States.

While the students are still attending school, that could change now that the investigation is complete, Scheier said.

Students will be punished under the school’s discipline code and, depending on the infraction, could be suspended or expelled, he said.

Although the German police assisted in a search of the school, local charges will not be filed, Driscoll said.

The investigation began in early March with a tip that drugs were being sold at school.

Military police ran several drug-detecting dogs through Patch, and the animals "hit" on eight student lockers, police and school officials said.

German police dogs were brought in the following day.

The lockers were searched but no drugs found. Police investigators began interviewing the students who used those lockers.

"A couple kids played hardball. A couple kids played up names. It eventually snowballed," Driscoll said.

School and military police are stepping up their efforts to curb illegal drug use.

In this month’s Patch High School newsletter, The Panther Pause, there is an article outlining German curfews and drinking ages.

The article says that teens, especially when relocating, may be tempted to try illegal drugs to fit in with their new peers.

"Parents have to be reminded that [their kids] can buy whatever they want at some clubs downtown," Scheier said.

Next week, military police investigators will ride with German police in an attempt to find where American teens are buying the recreational drugs, Driscoll said.

Back to March's stories
Page Two news roundup
Stories from February, 2001
Stories from January, 2001
Stories from December, 2000
Stories from November, 2000
Stories from October, 2000
Stories from August and September, 2000
Stories from June and July, 2000
Home