13-year-olds arrested after Twitter message about drugs


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SANDY — Police arrested two 13-year-old girls on drug charges after being tipped off by a parent who saw a suspicious Twitter message.

Police said the girls, who attend Albion Middle School, 2755 E. Newcastle (9130 South) in Sandy, had arranged to be picked up at the school — during school hours — by an 18-year-old man to go to a house and smoke pot.

Police said the arrangements were made using Twitter.

When one of the girls' parents checked their daughter's cell phone and found out what was happening, they contacted police. A search of one of the girl's lockers uncovered small amounts of marijuana, according to Sandy Police Sgt. Jon Arnold.

Deseret News:

Additional small amounts of the drug were found at the other girl's home.

Police used one of the girls' cellphones to arrange a meeting with 18-year-old Curtis Maxwell, whom they said intended to pick up the girls. Police arrested him for investigation of possession of drug paraphernalia, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and possession of cigarettes.

According to Arnold, the suspect claimed he was picking up the girls for a friend and thought they were 16, even though he was picking them up at a middle school.

Investigators said they found a digital scale in the man's car.

Police and educators have been cautioning for some time that parents need to pay attention to what their children are doing online.

"Parents need to be aware of what's going on," Arnold said. "They need to have access to their kids' phones. That, I would say, is a rule, not a suggestion."

Video contribution: Andrew Adams

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