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Employee arrested for drug sales in school parking lot
by John Tawa
Redondo Beach police arrested a Manhattan Beach Middle School worker May 23 on suspicion of possession and sale of methamphetamine. Shirley Hilty, 42, of Hawthorne, was released on $20,000 bail. Her arraignment is set for June 12.
Hilty had been employed as a cafeteria worker for the Manhattan Beach Unified School District for the past five years. The District moved to terminate her employment after her arrest.
"She will not be back working for the School District," said superintendent Jerry Davis.
The Redondo Beach police had been watching Hilty for several days after receiving information that she'd been selling the drug to adults during school days in the Middle School parking lot. The police were investigating whether Hilty sold any drugs to school children, but Middle School principal Janet Schwabe said that she did not. She conducted her own investigation, talking to lots of children and adults.
"Our kids would tell me in a matter of minutes," she said. "They couldn't keep it quiet."
Hilty was arrested last Tuesday afternoon as she drove through Redondo Beach after work. Seventeen packets of methamphetamine and personal use drug paraphernalia were found in the vehicle. Additional methamphetamine was found on Hilty. Redondo Beach police believe that Hilty was under the influence of the drug at the time of her arrest, an article in last Thursday's "Daily Breeze" reported.
A subsequent search of Hilty's residence uncovered additional drug paraphernalia, but no evidence that she was manufacturing the methamphetamine at her home.
Schwabe sent a letter to Middle School parents last Wednesday, explaining the arrest and reassuring parents that she wouldn't be back on campus. She said that the campus has settled down considerably since last Thursday, when six television crews descended on the campus.
"A lot of kids feel sorry for her and hope she gets help," Schwabe explained. "Others are mad at her and feel like she let them down. But most have forgotten about it." ER