SCHOOL DRUG SEARCH RESULTS IN 9 ARRESTS

All it took was the threat of a drug search for nine Lakeside High School
students to be found in possession of marijuana while at school Friday.

A random drug search with a canine unit, coordinated by the school and the
Columbia County Sheriff's Office, indirectly prompted the arrests. However,
none of the arrests resulted from a police dog finding drugs.

"We searched the common areas throughout the school," Sheriff's Capt. Steve
Morris said. "Prior to the search, the administrators made an announcement
to that effect over the intercom that a search is ongoing. As a result of
the announcement, several students panicked."

In three cases during the school day, eight juveniles and a 17-year-old
student were arrested, and more than 30 grams of marijuana was recovered,
Capt. Morris said. Sheriff's deputies arrived at the school shortly before
10 a.m.

Lakeside High School Principal Victor Lee did not return a phone message
left Friday afternoon.

Of the juveniles arrested, three were 15, three were 16 and two were 14
years old, Capt. Morris said. The juveniles were taken to the Regional
Youth Detention Center in Augusta. Damiano Pak, 17, of the 300 block of
Bakers Ferry Trail, also was arrested. Mr. Pak was transferred to the
Columbia County Detention Center in Appling.

In the first case, a juvenile approached a teacher after hearing the
announcement and told the teacher he was handed a bag of marijuana by
another student and was concerned he'd be caught, Capt. Morris said.

"We later determined that he, in fact, purchased that marijuana at school
from another student," Capt. Morris said, adding that one juvenile was
charged with felony sales and one with misdemeanor possession in the first
case.

Two other cases involved marijuana found in student vehicles parked at the
school.

In one instance, deputies were told marijuana could be found in Mr. Pak's
vehicle, Capt. Morris said. A search of the car netted one bag of suspected
marijuana, and a bag was found in Mr. Pak's pocket and pocket scales were
found in his book bag. Mr. Pak was charged with possession of marijuana
with the intent to distribute.

The third case involved six students charged with misdemeanor possession
after two bags were found in a second vehicle, Capt. Morris said. Four
students admitted to smoking marijuana in the vehicle before school began
Friday and implicated two other students, who refused to speak to deputies,
he said.

"It's the most productive search in quite some time," Capt. Morris said.
"And, of course, that's unfortunate."