Atmore teacher arrested for drugs

Published 6:07 pm Tuesday, February 28, 2017

An Escambia County Middle School teacher was jailed Friday after deputies allegedly found a bag of marijuana under her desk.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said ECMS principal reportedly called to report the strong odor of what was believed to be marijuana coming from inside the school at approximately 8 a.m.

Deputies and the department’s K-9 unit were dispatched, and as they entered, they also detected the same odor in the hallway of the school. The K-9 began to search the school and alerted on a classroom, officials reported.

“The students were removed from the classroom and a search was done of the room,” Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said. “The K-9 alerted on a bag that was located under the teacher’s desk.”

Lambert said deputies asked the teacher – later identified as 49-year-old Kimberly McKay Downey – who the bag belonged to, and she replied that was hers.

Deputies searched the bag and located a plastic bag containing three partially burned hand-rolled cigarettes or what is believed to be marijuana.

Downey was arrested and charged with second-degree possession of marijuana. She was transported to the Escambia County Detention Center where she was released on a $6,000 bond.