Police: Two Local High School Students Arrested on Drug Charges

Two high school students have been arrested on felony charges, following a drug possession investigation. 

The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office has arrested two male high school students from Roy C. Ketcham High School. The arrests stem from an investigation into a drug possession incident in Wappingers.

The identities of the two students are not being released at this time.

The two were arrested by the Sheriff's Office School Resource Officer, after an investigation revealed that the first defendant allegedly stole prescription medication from a friend and gave it to the second defendant the next day.

The theft of the medication occurred off school grounds, while the remainder of the incident occurred on school grounds, according to a press release.

The charges for both are as follows:

First Defendant

• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, 5th degree - Felony
• Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance. 4th degree - Felony
• Petit Larceny

Second Defendant

• Tampering with Physical Evidence - Felony
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, 7th degree

The criminal sale charge was brought because under the law giving someone a controlled substance is considered a sale; regardless of whether or not money was exchanged (it was not in this case), according to the Sheriff's Office.

Both were arraigned in the Town of Wappingers Court. the first defendant was sent to Dutchess County Jail on $5,000 cash bail, or $10,000 bond. The second defendant was released on his own recognizance.