Monroe County deputies say several adults are facing charges after suspicious packages were discovered hidden on the grounds of Sequoyah High School last Monday. The find temporarily shut down an evening welding program while detectives processed evidence and interviewed witnesses. Officials say the recovered items included tobacco products, marijuana and prescription medications, and that the investigation is still underway.
Investigation details
In a Facebook post, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office says a school resource officer found the suspicious items concealed beneath a shed on campus. According to the sheriff, surveillance video shows the packages being placed there and later retrieved.
The post names Mitchell Craig Cook, Sierra Nichole Boggess, Nicholas Alan Cam Boggess, Kevin Lee Cook and inmate Elijah John Pressley as people charged. Listed counts include sell/deliver Schedule III Suboxone in a school zone, sell/deliver Schedule VI marijuana in a school zone, possession for resale, introduction of contraband into a penal facility and related conspiracy charges. The agency's Criminal Investigations Division says it has notified the district attorney's office and remains on the case.
Welding class and school context
Sequoyah High School lists Welding I and II among its career-technical programs and maintains a calendar that includes evening vocational sessions, consistent with short trade classes. The school's website also posts contact information for campus administrators, underscoring that the incident unfolded on public school property; see Sequoyah High School for program details.
How detectives traced suspects
According to the sheriff's post, surveillance footage showed items placed at the shed on March 5 and an inmate retrieving packages on March 6. Additional video reportedly captured Cook and Boggess dropping off items on March 8.
Deputies say Cook and Boggess were later located in Gatlinburg on March 10 with help from Sevier County's Flock camera technology. The two were held at the Sevier County Justice Center, then transported to the Monroe County Jail on March 11, where officials say they remain in custody. For the sheriff's full statement, visit the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Legal implications
Under Tennessee law, introducing contraband into a penal facility is classified as a felony, and sales or deliveries of controlled substances that occur in or near a school can trigger enhanced penalties under the state's drug-free school-zone provisions. The Tennessee Department of Correction tracks recent contraband arrests, and Tennessee courts have applied school-zone enhancements in drug cases arising under section 39-17-417; see Justia for background on those rulings.
Monroe County detectives say the Criminal Investigations Division continues to work with the district attorney's office, and prosecutors will determine formal charges as they review the evidence. Anyone with information or tips is asked to contact the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
