POLAND 4 students face drug charges

School officials have cited the attitude of zero tolerance in the district.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Four of the seven students arrested in a two-month investigation into drug activity at Poland Seminary High School have been charged by police.
Circumstances indicate that the other three may not be criminally charged, authorities said today.
Facing charges: Three are charged in Mahoning County Juvenile Court: Thomas Probst, 16, of 6550 James St., five counts of drug trafficking; Albert Santiago, 16, of 982 N. Main St., 19 counts of trafficking; and Todd J. Kaden, 16, of 6923 Youngstown-Pittsburgh Road, possession of a controlled substance.
Shane C. Pursifull, 18, of 2880 Howell Drive, faces adult charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and will appear in Struthers Municipal Court.
All are students at Poland High.
Police Chief Carl Massullo said that as far as authorities can determine, the other three were not involved in drug activity at school; they were accused of smoking marijuana off school property.
Because of that, they may be placed in the diversion program this time, instead of being charged, the chief said.
Massullo said the investigation continues.
Probst was the first to be arrested when he arrived March 14 at the Northeast Ohio Regional Center for Adolescent Treatment in Niles.
Three others were arrested Friday and three more -- a 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds -- were arrested Sunday.
District's policy: School officials have said the district has zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol in the schools.
Noting that the problem here is no different from that in most other schools, they said they are taking a straightforward approach.
"I was out in the high school the morning after this broke. It was deathly quiet. Some kids were crying because they don't think it can happen in Poland," Superintendent Robert L. Zorn said at a recent school board meeting.