Arnold Martinez, an assistant coach at Greeley West High School in Colorado, was arrested this week on several marijuana charges.
Martinez, along with two other men who were arrested last month, allegedly ran a multi-million dollar marijuana operation. Law enforcement officials stated that the operation could have raked in more than $3 million.
Martinez was hired by the Greeley-Evans School District 6 in 2006. He was convicted of a felony possiession of marijuana in 1994. School officials knew of his felony conviction and yet still hired him as an assistant wresting coach “after an extensive review and interview.”
Sheriff’s deputies found 1,300 marijuana plants on Martinez’s property. He also had a renter who was also arrested for being part of this operation. Court documents showed that Martinez was receiving $4,320 per month in rent from his tenant. Harvesting the marijuana every two months and shipping mainly to California brought in $3.2 million.
Martinez was released Tuesday on a $25,000 bond. The charges he is facing include: cultivation of marijuana; distribution of marijuana; and possession of more than 100 pounds of marijuana.
A spokesman for the school district commented that they are allowed to hire people with felony convictions in non-teaching roles and that Martinez is one of two people who they hired with a known criminal record.
It may be prudent for the school to review this policy. Keeping our children safe and away from this type of influence should be a top priority. What do you think?
Tags: coach background check, coach criminal record, marijuana, marijuana possession
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Just goes to show you – once a felon, always a felon.
I don’t really understand why a school would opt for the known felon, rather than just keep looking. Was that position in such dire need to be filled? It just doesn’t’ make sense.
It makes you wonder if he involved any of the kids he was coaching…
The school should not take the first person ready for the job. They should try to find the best person for the job. I am sure there are people without felony convictions that could coach the team!
This school district needs to make sure their non-teachers get the same screening as their teachers do.
I agree with Anon… What would possess them to choose a felon?
Just because you are allowed to do something does not mean you should.
There are so many people out in the world that are unemployed and may have no criminal history and a felon can get a job before a person with a clean record. The system is such a joke.
Darn Pot Head coaches. They should run drug tests on all those coaches. How do you tell the kids that their coach was arrested for smoking pot.
Maybe the pothead coach had terminal cancer?
just so all the idiots out there know,this person had all charges dismissed as he was not involved in this operation,and to see you all jump on the bandwagon and beat down someone who has done nothing but help children ages 4-18 for over 20 years.You can’t believe everything you hear and see.I hope you all feel like %$#@ now.It’s pretty easy to look up results,so put forth the same effort that you used to attack this man and investigate.I am sure there is a monetary value on this type of distruction and I am sure that is in the works.Anyway good luck to the rest of whats left of your life.