A coach at a New York high school was reportedly put on administrative leave after he was taken into custody for drug possession on Nov. 30. The 52-year-old coach, who worked at Hampton Bays High School, was to remain on leave until the outcome of the case was determined.
The coach was taken into custody after authorities allegedly discovered heroin on the passenger seat of his vehicle at approximately 6 p.m. on Nov. 30. Southhampton authorities also stated that they found Xanax in his pocket after he was taken into custody. He was ultimately charged with two misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count, a violation, of possession of a controlled substance that was not in its original container.
The coach had been involved with the wrestling program since 2003. About 12 years later, he was promoted to head coach. The current assistant coach has since taken over the head coach’s responsibilities. The school was reportedly focused on the safety and well-being of the students following the incident.
People who have been accused of committing drug crimes could potentially face a jail sentence and large fines if a conviction is obtained and in some cases their careers could be placed in jeopardy. A criminal defense attorney may assist by arguing that the authorities did not follow proper procedures when taking the person into custody. In some cases, it may be possible to have the case dismissed if the traffic stop that led to the seizure of the drugs was not based on the required reasonable suspicion.
Source: Westhampton Patch, “Coach on ‘Administrative Leave’ After Drug Charges: Superintendent“, Lisa Finn, Dec. 8, 2016
