TEACHER SOLD DRUGS TO TEEN, POLICE SAY

GRAHAM -- Police arrested a Graham High School physical education
teacher and basketball coach Wednesday and charged her with selling
cocaine to a 15-year-old girl on school grounds.

Heather Renee Sweat-Melancon, 23, of 3324-17 Bellemont-Mount Hermon
Road in Burlington, is charged with a dozen crimes and has been
suspended with pay by the school system pending the outcome of the
police investigation.

Her husband, John Mark Melancon, was also arrested on drug charges
after authorities searched the couple's home Tuesday.

News of the teacher's arrest circulated among parents Wednesday
evening.

"It's certainly upsetting because as a parent you want to hope and
think your kid isn't exposed to that," said Sheila Fahnrich, who has
one son who's a sophomore at the high school and another son who
graduated last year. "It's disappointing that someone in that
position, who should be a role model, was involved in something like
that."

Sharon Boger said she too was surprised by the arrest.

"I know there's a lot that goes on in all the schools that you wish
wasn't there," said Boger, who has one daughter who's a senior at the
school and another daughter who graduated from there.

Neither parent knew Sweat-Melancon.

Sweat-Melancon was a first-year teacher who had worked at Graham High
School since the beginning of the school year, said Farrell Hanzaker,
assistant superintendent for finance and personnel.

Sweat-Melancon coaches Graham's junior varsity girls basketball team,
according to the school's Web site.

A student tipped off the principal at Graham High School on Tuesday
morning, said Graham police Capt. Jeff Prichard. The principal
notified the school resource officer, who summoned other Graham officers.

Officers interviewed the girl who said she'd bought the cocaine from
Sweat-Melancon. Police then searched her office, where they found
cocaine and drug paraphernalia, such as razor blades and straws,
according to arrest warrants.

Later Tuesday afternoon, Alamance County sheriff's deputies searched
the couple's mobile home in the southern half of the county, where
they say they found cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

John Melancon was jailed Tuesday, charged with possession with intent
to sell and deliver cocaine and marijuana and other felony drug charges.

Heather Sweat-Melancon, with police approval, came to the Graham
Police Department about 2 p.m. Wednesday with her parents and gave
herself up. Police said she had been cooperative.

"Any time a person in a position of trust, like a teacher, violates
that trust, I think it's sad," said Graham police Chief Milford Miller.

Sweat-Melancon's charges include selling and delivering controlled
substances within 300 feet of a school and to a minor, contributing to
the delinquency of a minor and possession with intent to sell and
deliver cocaine and marijuana, among others. According to her arrest
warrants, police seized 50.8 grams of marijuana and 45.2 grams of cocaine.

Police also expect to file a possession of cocaine juvenile petition
- -- the juvenile equivalent of a criminal charge -- against the girl
who said she bought drugs from Sweat-Melancon. Authorities didn't say
whether Sweat-Melancon was the girl's teacher or how the two knew each
other.

Sweat-Melancon was held on a $180,000 secured bond in the Alamance
County jail; her first court appearance was scheduled for this
morning. Her husband was held on a $150,000 secured bond.

The arrests mark the second time in a month when Graham High School
has been involved with a high-profile drug investigation.

An undercover Graham police officer posed as a student at the school
for five months last fall. Five Graham high school students were
charged with selling marijuana.

Those arrests were part of a larger operation where undercover
officers were sent into every high school in the county; about 50
students were arrested.

Staff writer Ellica Church contributed to this report.