YUMA, Ariz. - Sheriffs in Yuma County say a teacher there has been arrested for allegedly bringing drugs onto a school campus.
What we know:
In a statement released on Aug. 5, officials with the Yuma County Sheriff's Office say they arrested 55-year-old Deana Flynn Salter of Yuma on Aug. 3. Salter was arrested at Somerton Middle School.
Investigators say a bag described as a makeup was found on campus by a staff member.
"The staff member looked inside to figure out who it belonged to, and found a plastic bag containing an unidentified substance," read a portion of the statement. "Staff then turned the bag over to the YCSO School Resource Officer, who identified the substance as methamphetamine. The bag was further searched, and the owner of the bag was identified as a teacher."
Dig deeper:
Investigators say the total amount of meth found was about 4.35 grams.
"Salter was processed and booked by the Yuma County Narcotics Task Force on Possession of Dangerous Drugs in a Drug-Free Zone, Possession of Dangerous Drugs, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Reckless Child/Vulnerable Adult Abuse," read a portion of the statement.
School Releases Statement:
Officials with Somerton Middle School have released a statement, which reads:
"Somerton School District is aware of public interest and social media discussions regarding an incident involving a District staff member that occurred on August 3, 2026.
On August 3, the District became aware of an incident involving an employee. Law enforcement responded, and the employee was subsequently arrested. The district is fully cooperating with the investigating law enforcement agencies and will continue to do so throughout the investigative process.
The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors remain our highest priority. We want to reassure our families and community that no students were involved in this incident, and there was no immediate threat to student safety. Had there been any risk to our students or school community, the district would have immediately notified families through our official communication channels.
As this remains an active law enforcement investigation and personnel matter, the district is limited in what it can publicly share. It is important that we protect the integrity of the investigative process, respect applicable privacy laws, and ensure that information released is accurate and verified. For these reasons, we will not comment on allegations, evidence, or other aspects of the ongoing investigation.
The district takes all concerns involving employee conduct seriously and follows all applicable Board policies, state and federal laws, and employment procedures when responding to these matters. Appropriate administrative actions have been taken consistent with District policy and legal requirements.
We recognize that information shared on social media can spread quickly and may not always be accurate or complete. We encourage our families and community members to rely on official communications from Somerton School District for verified information and to refrain from sharing unconfirmed reports or speculation.
We appreciate the continued trust and partnership of our families and community. Somerton School District remains committed to maintaining safe learning environments, supporting our students and staff, and communicating with transparency whenever possible while respecting the legal limitations associated with an active investigation."
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the Yuma County Sheriff's Office, and from a separate statement released by Somerton Middle School. This story was reported on from Phoenix.