BELFAST — A 33-year-old Belfast woman who most recently worked at Belfast Area High School as a Jobs for Maine Graduates program teacher/mentor, has run afoul of the law while on bail for eight counts of aggravated furnishing of scheduled drugs to minors.

Sarah E. Lawler-Stoddard was arrested Feb. 8 for furnishing marijuana to a 17-year-old BAHS student on three occasions in the spring of 2012 and to a 15-year student on five occasions in the fall and winter of 2012.

According to an affidavit filed by School Resource Officer Greg Stearns, the students said Lawler-Stoddard furnished marijuana and a glass pipe to smoke it in, and also smoked the drug with them. In the case of the 15-year-old, five times marijuana was smoked in Lawler-Stoddard's car on the way to school.

Following her Feb. 8 arrest, Lawler-Stoddard was released on $1,000 cash bail and ordered to appear in Waldo County Superior Court March 28. Conditions of her bail included that she submit to random searches, that she have no direct or indirect contact with anyone under the age of 18, except her child, and that she not use or possess illegal drugs.

Feb. 22, a warrant for Lawler-Stoddard's arrest was issued for charges of furnishing liquor to a minor and violating conditions of release.

According to the affidavit in support of the warrant, Belfast police received a complaint from an employee at a hotel on Searsport Avenue Feb. 21 that Lawler-Stoddard was in a room with at least one female and two young males. The employee told police the group was outside on the patio with red cups and being destructive to the outside furniture.

The night clerk told police they became suspicious when two younger males checked into the hotel at 9:15 p.m. and told the clerk they were expecting two females to be coming in later as well. The clerk advised the males they needed to provide copies of their IDs, and that they would need copies of the females' IDs when they arrived as well.

According to the affidavit, Lawler-Stoddard was one the females; the other was 18 years old, and the two males were 18 and 19 years old.

Police responded to the hotel room where the individuals were staying and the officers allegedly smelled the odor of freshly burned marijuana when the door was opened by the 19-year-old male.

Given the smell of the marijuana, the officers asked questions about contraband in the room and if they could search it and the 19-year-old male said they could not. When told that a search warrant would be applied for and the occupants would need to step into the hallway and wait, the male consented to the search of the room.

The 18-year-old male allegedly admitted smoking marijuana on the hotel balcony, and gave the officers a glass marijuana pipe, which he had in his sock. He also allegedly told the officers there was an empty 40-ounce bottle of Cold 45 malt liquor in the room that he had consumed. When asked how he obtained the liquor, the male refused to say, according to the affidavit.

In searching the room, the officers indicated they found two 40-ounce bottles of Colt 45, a bottle of Jagermeister liqueur and three bottles of Dr. McGillicuddy's Schnapps.

"All were either empty or had been opened and a portion missing," said the affidavit.

The police said they determined that Lawler-Stoddard had purchased the bottles of Cold 45 and the bottle of Jagermeister at a local store.

"While talking with all involved in the room, Sarah asked to use the bathroom and never returned," said an officer in the affidavit.

Based on the information, a warrant was issued for Lawler-Stoddard's arrest Feb. 22. She was arrested March 6 and taken to Waldo County Jail.

New bail conditions include that Lawler-Stoddard not use or possess alcohol or illegal drugs, that she submit to random searches, that she not have contact with anyone under 21 years old and that she report thrice weekly in person to the Belfast Police Department.

March 6, Deputy District Attorney Eric Walker filed a Motion for Revocation of Pre-Conviction Bail against Lawler-Stoddard, asking that she be held without bail until her March 28 court hearing. That motion was pending in court March 7.

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached by email at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or by calling 207-706-6655.