Teacher, Husband Charged With Allowing Teens To Smoke Pot at Home

A teacher in the Cherokee County School District and her husband are out on bond after they were charged with allowing teenagers to smoke marijuana in their home.

Agents with Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, or CMANS, on Tuesday arrested Canton residents Jeff Cantrell, 45, and Christine Cantrell, 40. Both have been charged with possession of marijuana less than an ounce, disorderly house and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. They were released Tuesday evening on $3,000 bond, said Cherokee Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Jay Baker.

Christine Cantrell is a teacher at Teasley Middle School, said CMANS Commander Phil Price. According to her website, Cantrell teaches sixth-grade social studies and reading at the school.

Price said agents received a tip that the Cantrells were allegedly involved in the distribution or sale of marijuana, “but we weren’t ever able to get any corroborating information on it.”

Price said agents went to the Cantrell’s home off Sixes Road, and Christine Cantrell consented to a search where they unearthed a “relatively small, misdemeanor amount of marijuana.”

Two 17-year-olds were at the house at the time of the arrest, Price noted. One child belonged to the Cantrells while another did not, he added. Price stated it did not appear the teens “were actively smoking” marijuana at the time of the agents’ visit.

The disorderly house charge stems from the Cantrells allowing “a couple of teenagers” to smoke the drug inside their home, the CMANS commander added.

“We believe that Mr. and Mrs. Cantrell were aware and facilitating teenagers (to use) marijuana in their home,” Price said. “They provided resources, (but) not necessarily provided marijuana. We can’t prove that; but, they provided a place and other resources for these people to smoke marijuana.”

Cherokee County School District spokesperson Barbara Jacoby said a district “administrative investigation into these allegations is underway.”

“The teacher in question will be reassigned to a non-classroom setting until the investigation is concluded,” she added.

The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad is a joint task force working in Cherokee County to investigate drug related violations.

Participating agencies include the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, Canton Police Department, Woodstock Police Department, Holly Springs Police Department, Ball Ground Police Department, Cherokee County Marshal’s Office, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Georgia State Patrol.

Residents may call in tips anonymously to (770) 345-7920 or may speak to an agent by calling (678) 493-7625.

Photo: Christine (left) and Jeff Cantrell of Canton were charged with possession of marijuana less than an ounce, disorderly house and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff’s Office