This is a joint release in cooperation with TCSO, the Woodland Park School District, and the Woodland Park Police Department
Teller County, CO, November 23, 2018– On Wednesday, November 21, 2018, members of the newly formed Teller Narcotics Team (TNT) served a search warrant at 60 Overlook Circle in Sedalia, CO. The warrant was based upon information received by Woodland Park School Resource Officers assigned to the Woodland Park School District (WPSD) of marijuana laced with methamphetamine being supplied to a limited number of students. A Teller County man, John Bruce Fifield Jr-47, was arrested and booked into the Teller County Jail on numerous felony charges.
The Teller County Narcotics Team was created by the Sheriff’s Office in September 2018 to be more in line with our community and in response to citizen’s concerns about drugs in addition to black-market marijuana in the county. The team is a collaboration of police officers from Cripple Creek PD, Woodland Park PD, and the Teller County Sheriff’s Office, with officers included from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well. Until now, the team had been undergoing specialized training in narcotics investigations and undercover work. This arrest represents TNT’s first case.
We are shocked that this type of drug may have been introduced to our children. An act such as this will not go unpunished in our community. WPSD Superintendent Steve Woolf said, “This is the reason we have School Resource Officers (SRO’s). We enjoy our cooperation with the police department and the sheriff’s office. We are invested in safe schools, so anytime something such as this comes up, we are on it.”
Woodland Park Police Chief Miles DeYoung said, “We are committed to the safety of our schools and the children that attend our schools. They are our greatest asset. Any time we get information about dangers to our children, we take action in conjunction with our partners to address the threat.”
Sheriff Jason Mikesell said, “The Teller County Narcotics Team was developed in response to the community’s need for us to target illegal narcotics in our area. This is an aggressive approach that is designed to stem the flow of dangerous drugs that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities.”
Parents who suspect their child may have been exposed to any type of illegal drug can receive home test kits for free by contacting the school at which their child attends, WPSD, or by reaching out to the school resource officer through Woodland Park PD.
The Teller County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank our partner agencies for helping to make this significant arrest. Our community is safer today because of the hard work of law enforcement and the partnerships of the agencies and school leadership in our county. We would like to thank the public for their patience, support, and assistance with any further information.
This is an ongoing investigation and everyone is reminded that it will take some time to fully learn all information related to this incident. If you or anyone you know has information about this investigation, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
John Fifield is charged with:
- Unlawful distribution, manufacturing, dispensing, and/or selling illegal narcotics, a class one drug felony;
- Unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a class 4 drug felony;
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a class 4 felony;
- Child abuse, a class one misdemeanor;
- Possessing a dangerous or illegal weapon, a class one misdemeanor.
His bond is $50,000.00