TEACHER DRUG CHARGE DROPPED

Criminal-sale Count Dismissed After Lawyer Explains How Teacher Aided
Authorities.

An Oswego City Court judge Thursday dismissed a criminal sale of marijuana
charge against an Oswego High School business teacher.

Judge James Metcalf dismissed the misdemeanor charge against Angela M.
Ferlito, 39, of 1269 county Route 53, Oswego, after Ferlito's lawyer
explained how the teacher had helped school officials find the student to
whom the drugs belonged. Oswego County District Attorney Dennis Hawthorne
Sr. also signed a court document, saying the charge should be dropped.

Oswego police arrested Ferlito after she returned 1.3 grams of marijuana to
a student March 18 after a Future Business Leaders of America club meeting
at the school.

In her statement to police, Ferlito said she found a clear plastic bag of
what appeared to be marijuana on her classroom floor. She told police she
put the bag on a desk, then into her pocket.

When a girl returned to the room to claim the bag, the teacher handed her
the drugs, school officials said. Ferlito told police the girl said the bag
"belongs to my sister. I am wearing her vest and it fell out of her pocket
and she is going to kill me." After handing it to the student, Ferlito told
police she left school grounds for about five minutes, then returned to
tell administrators what had happened.

Ferlito's lawyer, James Eby, said his client has no prior criminal history,
nor is she a "drug pusher." Eby also said she reported the incident within
minutes, which helped school officials track down the student, find the
drugs in the girl's backpack and then turn the marijuana over to the Oswego
Police Department.

Ferlito, who has been teaching business education to students in grades
nine through 12 since 1998, has been suspended with pay since her arrest,
said Oswego schools Superintendent Ken Eastwood. He also said the outcome
of the court case won't affect how the district deals with Ferlito.

"Our actions are pertinent to keeping a safe educational environment,"
Eastwood said.

The student currently is not attending classes, authorities indicated.

The girl has gone through a superintendent disciplinary hearing, but
Eastwood said he could not comment on the outcome because of
confidentiality rules.