Jackie Porter, 47, of Dayton, pleaded not guilty to a charge of using deception to obtain a dangerous drug in court Tuesday and was released on her own recognizance.
Athletic director sought steroid, investigators allege
According to the district, Porter’s position with the district is “a position that is not licensed by the state of Ohio” and there is no notification system in place that would notify the district of criminal activity involving employees like Porter.
The district, in a case like this, would rely on the employee “self-reporting” an incident like the one Porter is accused of, said Kari Basson, district spokeswoman.
Basson said the district does require all employees to go through an FBI backgroung check every five years, which would have likely discovered Porter’s case at a later date.
In cases where a licensed educator or pupil transportation driver is arrested or convicted of a crime, the state notifies districts through the state’s Rapback System.
The intent of the Rapback System “is to provide information so you can protect…students and staff from convicted criminals or those with recent arrests or pending criminal cases who are in positions of trust”, according to the Ohio Department of Education website.
Porter remains on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case against her.
UPDATE @ 12:19 p.m. (Jan. 11):
Kettering school officials were notified of a criminal charge against Jackie Porter, athletic director at Van Buren Middle School, by a parent, according to Porter’s personnel file.
“On January 2, 2016 administrators in the District received an email from a concerned parent, informing them that you have been charged…with the crime of ‘Deception to Obtain Dangerous Drugs’,” according to a letter sent to Porter by Deborah Mears, director of human resources for Kettering school.
“We are dismayed that we learned this information from a parent rather than from you,” Mears wrote.
Porter’s personnel file also revealed she had not received a performance review since May 2006.
In that review Porter received mostly satisfactory ratings for her work.
UPDATE @ 4:17 p.m. (Jan. 8):
The athletic director at Van Buren Middle School in Kettering is on paid administrative leave after being indicted on a charge of using deception to obtain a dangerous drug.
Jackie Porter, 47, of Dayton, is also an instructional aide at the school and has worked in Kettering City Schools for at least 15 years, according to Debbie Mears, the district’s human resources director. Porter coaches Van Buren’s girls softball team and one of the seventh-grade girls basketball teams.
Porter is accused of trying to pick up a prescription medication that was not filed in her name at a CVS Pharmacy Aug. 17 at 524 E. Stroop Road, according to Greg Flannagan, spokesman for the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. The person listed on the prescription was not aware of the prescription and had not given Porter permission to pick it up, he said.
The drug was Prednisone, a steroid that can be used to treat many diseases and conditions, especially those associated with inflammation, according to Flannagan.
Both Mears and Kettering police said there is no connection between Porter’s drug charge and Kettering students or athletes.
“It’s not affiliated with the schools at all as far as we’re concerned,” said Officer John Jung, spokesman for Kettering Police.
Porter could not be reached for comment Friday.
Flannagan said using deception to obtain a prescription drug is a fifth-degree felony. The maximum penalty is 12 months in jail, but Flannagan said first-time offenders usually get probation if found guilty.
Porter was indicted Dec. 11 by a Montgomery County Grand Jury and is expected to appear in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Mears said Porter wasn’t placed on leave until Monday because the school district only learned about the indictment Sunday.
The basketball team that Porter coaches will be run by the existing assistant coach and the eighth-grade girls coach, Mears said. Van Buren Principal Jeff Blakley will fulfill Porter’s athletic director duties while she is on leave, with assistance from the Fairmont High School and Kettering Middle School athletic directors.
UPDATE @ 1:04 p.m.:
The Van Buren Middle School athletic director is on paid administrative leave while a criminal investigation involving the 47-year-old is conducted, school officials said.
Jackie Porter, of Dayton, was placed on paid administrative leave on Monday pending the investigation that she used deception to obtain dangerous drugs, according to Debbie Mears, Kettering City Schools human resource director.
According to Montgomery County court records, Porter is charged with a single count of deception to obtain dangerous drugs.
Porter has been with the Kettering school system for at least 15 years, Mears said.
Porter is accused of trying to pick up a prescription medication that was not filed in her name, and the person listed on the prescription was not aware of the prescription nor gave Porter permission to pick it up, according to Greg Flannagan, spokesman for the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.
The drug suspected in the case is Prednisone, a steroid that can be used to treat many diseases and conditions, especially those associated with inflammation, according to Flannagan.
The incident was reported on Aug. 17, 2015 to the Kettering Police department after Porter was said to have committed the crime at the CVS, 524 East Stroop Road, Flannagan said.
In addition to the position of athletic director, Porter also coached the Kettering middle school girls basketball silver team, according to Mears.
Mears said the Van Buren Middle School principal and high school athletic director will be fulfilling Porter’s duty while she is on leave.
Porter was indicted on the charge on Dec. 11 by a Montgomery County Grand Jury and is expected to appear in court Jan. 12 at 8:30 a.m.
INITIAL REPORT:
The athletic director at Van Buren Middle School, Jackie Porter, is on paid administrative leave while a criminal investigation involving Porter is conducted, according to school officials.
This story will be updated as additional information is released.