News

Eight teens could face charges in Soma drug ring
April 30, 2004

By Kim Smith, East Valley Tribune
© East Valley Tribune

Eight teenagers could face criminal charges after a Soma drug ring bust at five Mesa and Gilbert schools, police said Thursday. News of the bust comes three days after 500 parents showed up at a Gilbert Unified School District forum to discuss a recent rash of drug-related incidents, including the deaths of two teenagers.

The ring started with two high school girls — one from Desert Ridge and the other from Mesquite High — who went to Puerto Penasco, Mexico, over a weekend with one of the girls’ parents, police said. They bought 2,900 Soma tablets, then distributed them to other students.

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Soma is a prescription muscle relaxant whose generic name is carisoprodol. When taken in multiple doses, it has barbiturate — or alcohol-like effects. Abuse of the drug can result in seizures, coma or death.

Kamry Clark, the Mesquite student, told detectives she bought drugs with her own money and money given to her by four friends from Desert Ridge, Westwood and Mountain View high schools in Mesa.

Police found nearly 240 pills in Clark's bedroom. She said she gave between 200 and 890 pills to each of her friends, all of whom she'd known since grade or junior high school.

Clark, 16, was arrested and booked into the Southeast Juvenile Facility in Mesa on suspicion of possession and transportation of a prescription-only drug for sale, possession of a prescription-only drug and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Attempts to contact Clark's parents were unsuccessful.

In all, police have recovered about 1,800 pills from seven students, three of whom had the drugs on campus with them, said Mesa Sgt. Ruben Quesada.

One of the students had 75 packaged pills on him at Mountain View. Each pill typically sells for between $2 and $5, police said.

Clark told police she didn't bring the drugs to school with her because administrators have a heightened awareness of the Soma problem since 29 Gilbert students were suspended in March for buying, possessing or selling Soma on campus.

Police continue to track down leads in the hopes of finding the remaining 1,100 pills, Gaffney said.

"We ask that parents please speak with their kids tonight and discuss the dangers of prescription drugs," Gaffney said.

All of the students contacted so far have been from middle, if not upper class, homes and were making decent grades, said Mesa Sgt. Sean Kelly. In each case, the parents were shocked by the allegations and fully cooperative.

Clark told police she wanted to be a schoolteacher. "That just shows they just don't get it," Kelly said. "Unfortunately many juveniles don't understand it's not only illegal to sell drugs, but it's wrong. Parents need to talk to their kids. You can't be a drug dealer one day and a schoolteacher the next."

Mesa Unified School District officials were to send a letter home to parents today.

The letter states in part, that "in addition to criminal charges, the students involved face serious disciplinary consequences from the district."

Gilbert Unified School District officials, however, did not send a letter home because of the recent forum.

Some students said the drug abuse isn't as rampant as it sounds.

"It's just a few kids," said Mesquite freshman Trevor Given, 14.

Article appears with permission from the East Valley Tribune.