Indian Land teacher among 2 accused of trafficking drugs

LANCASTER, S.C. — A teacher with Indian Land High School is facing felony drug charges and has been placed on paid leave after the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says investigators found a big stash of drugs and guns inside a home in Lancaster.

Lancaster County detectives say they arrested 28-year-old Elizabeth Carlina Delaney McDonald and 29-year-old Tyler Wayne Rhodes Thursday morning after a lengthy investigation. Detectives said they had evidence that the two were selling drugs out of a home on Tirzah Church Road.

During a search of the property on Tirzah Church Road, investigators found over 1,800 pills that are suspected to be fentanyl, and just shy of three pounds of suspected marijuana, along with digital scales. Detectives also found 14 “long guns” and seven handguns in addition to ammunition.

The Lancaster County School District confirmed to Channel 9 that McDonald is a teacher at Indian Land High School.

“Certainly it hurts us as a group anytime someone in our profession is accused of doing something wrong,” said Bryan Vaughn with Lancaster County Schools.

While Vaughn says that McDonald has been placed on leave with pay pending the investigation, parents like Jessie Pitayo want to know if the drug activity has been linked to the school.

“Oe thing that concerns me is if that was happening on school [grounds] and if anyone else at the school is also participating with her,” Pitayo told Channel 9′s Tina Terry.

Vaughn says the district wants people with any information to come forward, but he said, “At this point, we have no evidence to connect anything back [to the school.]”

So far, the teacher hasn’t submitted a resignation. The district says it will follow state and local due process rights.

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