First-grade teacher charged with drug trafficking

Detectives seized ‘over 4 pounds of methamphetamine during this investigation’

Antonisha Chambers, 34 (Fayetteville Police Department)

Police have arrested a first-grade teacher and another individual on drug trafficking charges.

Antonisha Chambers, 34, was arrested at her home in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Friday.

Detectives seized “over 4 pounds of methamphetamine during this investigation”, the Fayetteville Police Department said in a statement on Saturday.

Ms Chambers was arrested along with another person, Bradford Gordon, according to police. Both were charged with trafficking the drug methamphetamine.

As well as possessing methamphetamine, the pair were accused of transporting the drug, more commonly known as crystal meth, from the property.

According to the drug awareness organisation, Frank, crystal meth is a powerful stimulant usually taken in pill form.

Police said Ms Chambers is a first-grade teacher at Honeycutt Elementary School in Fayetteville.The Independent has approached the school for comment.

Lindsay Whitley, an associate superintendent for Cumberland County Schools and spokesman for the Honeycutt school, told The Independent on Sunday that the school was aware of the arrest.

“The arrest did not take place on the school campus and students were not made aware of this situation,” Ms Whitley said.

“District officials learned about the arrest after the instructional day had ended and the employee had already left campus.”

She went on to say that Honeycutt Elementary and the school district in Fayetteville took the arrest “very seriously”.

She continued: “[W]hile these allegations are very disappointing, they do not overshadow the work that our employees do on a daily basis to help students succeed in the classroom and beyond. Prior to hiring employees, the district conducts extensive background checks and provides ethics training to employees once hired.”

Police said both Ms Chambers and Mr Gordon were working in the US on visas. The Observer reported that she was hired by the Cumberland County School system in August 2021.

It is unclear if either Ms Chambers and Mr Gordon had a lawyer or whether they were released on bail.

The Independent has approached the police department for comment.