Third grade teacher in Union Co. arrested for trafficking in fentanyl

A western Kentucky elementary school teacher has been arrested for trafficking in fentanyl.

Katherine E. Willett, 35, of Morganfield, was jailed along with three other suspects in Union County early Friday morning.

According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, an ongoing narcotics investigation led police to 210 East Houston Street in Morganfield where deputies, Sturgis police and Kentucky State Police executed a search warrant.

The search warrant led to the arrest of Willett, a third grade teacher at Sturgis Elementary School, 36-year-old Kenneth J. Manuel and 34-year-old Jay E. Howard, both of Morganfield, and 55-year-old Kimberly Dangler, of Henderson.

Willett, Manuel and Howard were charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (fentanyl) and first-degree wanton endangerment. Manuel was also charged with tampering with physical evidence. Dangler was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (fentanyl), possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

All four suspects were lodged in the Webster County Jail. The two male suspects are being held on $20,000 cash bonds while the two women were given $10,000 cash bond.

Willett is in her twelfth year of teaching, according to a “Meet our Staff” post from five years ago on the Sturgis Elementary School Facebook page.

The school district issued the following one-call to parents on Friday afternoon:

At 6:14 this morning, our district was informed by local authorities that one of our teachers was arrested for drug-related charges. While we have no reason to believe that any misconduct occurred on school grounds, our Superintendent contacted K-9 Resources to dispatch a trained search dog to inspect every corner of our school building to ensure there are no drugs on our school grounds and to exercise an abundance of caution.

We are also working closely with the local authorities and taking all appropriate steps to ensure our building is safe for our students and staff. We will continue to follow all appropriate personnel procedures moving forward in this situation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding school safety, or if your child needs additional support, please do not hesitate to contact us.