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Amy Panzeca, a fifth-grade teacher at Five Points Elementary and her 15-year-old son face a series of charges. She is accused of permitting drug use, endangering children and contributing to the unruliness of a minor. He is accused of possession and drug trafficking. Police stopped cars leaving the residence beginning in April in which occupants said they purchased drugs at the Panzeca house, according to a search warrant affidavit written by a Warren County Drug Task Force detective.
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FIRST REPORT
A fifth grade Springboro Schools teacher, Amy Panzeca, was arrested Monday night at a relative’s home on Sesame Street on charges of permitting drug abuse, child endangering and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child. Panzeca’s son also is charged in the case.
Panzeca pleaded not guilty to the charges and will be released from jail.
Panzeca was indicted by a grand jury less than three months after a raid at her home on Christman Drive in Springboro by the Warren County Drug Task Force.
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KEY DETAILS:
- Amy Panzeca pleads not guilty to three counts against her
- Judge releases Panzeca from jail on her own recognizance
- Panzeca teaches fifth-grade at Five Points Elementary
UPDATE @ 3:26 p.m.:
A 15-year-old son of Amy Panzeca was arraigned today on counts of possession of drugs and trafficking drugs. The male will be detained in the juvenile detention center, according to the court administrator. The boy entered a denial to two counts of possession and one count of trafficking drugs.
He has another hearing later this month. Juvenile court records also show he had a truancy case and his mother was issued a failure to send him to school.
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UPDATE @ 1:24 p.m.:
Springboro fifth-grade teacher Amy Panzeca pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Tuesday afternoon on charges of felony permitting drug abuse and misdemeanor child endangering and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child.
The arraignment comes less than 24 hours after her arrest after her indictment by a Warren County grand jury.
Panzeca’s attorney asked that she be released on electronic home monitoring.
The judge released her on her own recognizance.
UPDATE @ 12:01 p.m.:
A spokesman for Springboro Schools, Scott Marshall, said Amy Panzeca has been placed on paid administrative leave. The district is calling parents of children assigned to her fifth-grade class to start Thursday. A substitute will now lead the class. Panzeca has been a teacher in the district for 15 years.
UPDATE @ 11:33 a.m.:
According to the indictment handed down by a Warren County grand jury, Amy Panzeca allegedly permitted drug abuse between May 6 and May 19, 2017. A second count of permitting drug abuse states the crime occurred between Jan. 29, 2017 and May 19, 2017. The child endangering and contributing to the delinquency of a child charge stems from alleged activity between April 1, 2017 and May 19, 2017. No other details of the alleged crimes are described in the indictment.
UPDATE @ 11:18 a.m.:
Amy Panzeca’s home at 40 Christman Drive was raided by members of the Warren County Drug Task Force on the evening of May 19, 2017.
At the time officials would only tell our reporter the raid was part of an ongoing investigation.
UPDATE @ 10:33 a.m.:
District spokesmanScott Marshall said Panzeca has been with the school district for about 15 years, and she's not had any past disciplinary issues.
They found learned about the allegations against the teacher Monday night, and they quickly hired a substitute, who will be in place for the upcoming Meet the Teacher event this week, Marshall said.
FIRST REPORT:
A Springboro teacher has been arrested on charges of permitting drug abuse and endangering children.
Amy Lea Panzeca, 48, was arrested on Sesame Street in Springboro on Monday evening, according to Warren County Jail bookings.
Panzeca is a fifth-grade teacher at Five Points Elementary in the Springboro Schools district, according to the 2017-18 staff list.
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Springboro spokesperson Scott Marshall said the district had just learned of Panzeca’s arrest.
“It’s under police investigation, so there’s not a whole lot we can say,” he said.
>> Warren County Jail Bookings
Marshall said Panzeca is on paid leave effective today. A substitute will be covering the classroom.
Parents will be notified of her arrest through a letter and phone call.
The counts against Panzeca in Warren County Common Pleas Court include two felonies and two misdemeanors. The permitting drug use charge is a fifth-degree felony while endangering children and contributing to the unruliness of a minor are first-degree misdemeanors.
The case was handled by the Warren County Drug Task Force. The Springboro Police Department was listed as an assisting agency.