Deputies responded to Parkwood High School after receiving a tip about a strong odor of marijuana inside the school building. The smell was detected in the hallway before students had arrived.

During the investigation, deputies traced the odor to a chemistry classroom assigned to Gerald Wade Morton Jr. A Union County Sheriff’s Office trained Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) was called to the scene and conducted evaluations on Mr. Morton. Based on those assessments, the deputy determined that Mr. Morton showed clear signs of impairment.

Deputies also located Mr. Morton’s vehicle on school grounds with a window partially open. A strong odor of marijuana was coming from inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted and a loaded 9mm handgun was located in an unlocked center console. There was no other contraband found inside the vehicle.

The classroom was also searched and a black bookbag was located inside the classroom’s storage closet. A K9 unit alerted to the book bag during the search. While the bag was being searched deputies located a sealed amount of hemp within the legal limit, along with drug paraphernalia. The bag also contained a police badge from another jurisdiction and a small dagger-style knife with a clip (belonging to his son)

Mr. Morton was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm on educational property, possession of a weapon (non-firearm) on educational property, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was transported to the Union County Detention Center and taken before a judicial official who issued a $10,000 secured bond.

He has currently met his conditions of release and is no longer in custody.