Student busted for hidden drugs

A 19-year-old Berkeley Springs youth was charged on Monday with drug possession after he allegedly returned to pick up a stash that he had hidden.

Zachary Jordan Peacock of Starlight Lane was charged with possession of morphine, a controlled substance, according to a criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court on Monday afternoon, April 14.

Earlier in the day, police received an anonymous tip that a male subject had been seen stashing something beneath a handicap walkway along South Washington Street in Berkeley Springs, said Chief Deputy Vince Shambaugh of the Morgan County Sheriff's Department.

Deputy C. H. Cobern went to the scene and found a cigarette pack with seven white Morphine 15 pills and four lavender Morphine 30 pills in addition to three cigarettes, according to the complaint written by Cobern.

Based on a description of the suspect, police identified him as Zachary Peacock after contacting Deputy Kevin Barney, the officer stationed at Berkeley Springs High School.

Police were told that Peacock would be leaving the school at noon. Sheriff's personnel, working with Town of Bath Police, put the handicap walkway under surveillance and arrested Peacock when he picked up the cigarette pack and pulled out the cellophane wrapper containing the pills.

Chief Deputy Shambaugh said the fact that the pills were stashed in this way shows students know authorities are serious about keeping drugs out of school.

Peacock was later taken before Magistate Kermit Ambrose and released on $1,000 personal recognizance bond. No trial date has yet been set.