(Press Release) Wednesday morning at about 11:00 a.m., the Exeter Police Department, with support from the Tulare County Sheriff's Department Inter-agency Narcotics Enforcement Team, completed an eight month undercover narcotics investigation on the campus of Exeter High School. The investigation into reported drug sales on campus led to the arrest of 12 students, between the ages of 15 and 18.
The charges include suspicion of selling drugs within 1,00 feet of a school, possession of a controlled substance for sale, conspiracy, and accessory to a crime.
After receiving complaints and concerns about drugs being present on the campus during the 2011/12 school year, the police department began an undercover investigation at the start of this school year. According to police, the investigation was conducted with the full cooperation of the Exeter Union High School District Administration.
An Exeter police officer registered as a student this year and started attending classes posing as a student. Over the past eight months, the officer made multiple purchases of marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs, and other narcotics.
19-year-old Matt Tidwell, 18-year-old Eli Perkins, 18-year-old Joseph Barba, and 18-year-old Uriel Cano-Medel were arrested and booked into the Tulare County Jail. Several minors were also arrested and taken to Tulare County Juvenile Justice.
TXT 24
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