Officers: Fake mother and son team sell drugs at school
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DECATURVILLE, Tenn. — The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office is congratulating Deputy Matthew Rodriguez on a job well done. He reportedly stopped a fake mother and son team accused of trying to sell drugs inside Riverside High School. “I was shocked to know that this was brought up there to the school,” Rodriguez said. “But it was a good feeling that we got it off the streets and out of the school.” Rodriguez says Tristan Baker came to school pretending to attend an event for future college students. Baker, who is not a student at the high school, was asked by Rodriguez to empty his pockets. That’s when the officer says he uncovered needles, drug paraphernalia and Sudafed.
“It’s a great feeling. It lets the kids know that we are here to help them out and get this garbage off of the streets,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez says Kandi Maney was at the school posing as Baker’s mother.
The officer searched her car and found pills believed to be morphine, an open bottle of cherry vodka, a large knife and more than $2,500. Rodriguez said according to Tennessee state law once you cross into school property, a principal may order a vehicle be searched if parked on school property in the principals’ presence. Decatur County Sheriff Keith Byrd said this is a major bust for his school resource officer. Rodriguez has only been an SRO for four months.
“The drug problem is everywhere, and it’s in our schools,” Byrd said. “The high school-age students are the ones most vulnerable to the drug use.” According to the Decatur County Jail, Maney has since made bond. Baker remains in jail in lieu of a $5,000 bond.
