Teen arrested trying to sell stolen laptop

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — A Grants High School student was arrested by Grants police for allegedly being in possession of a stolen teacher's laptop.

Robert Hussey, 14, of Grants, was at the school trying to sell the laptop, but police are sure he did not steal it, said Grants Police Detective Moses Marquez.

"Another individual gave him the laptop and asked him to sell it at the high school," Marquez said.

Hussey is currently on suspension from the school pending an administrative hearing, said Gary Atencio, GHS assistant principal.

These hearings are required to be held within 10 business days of the incident (Feb. 27), but had not been held as of Friday. By the calendar, the hearing must be held no later than March 14.

Grants-Cibola County Schools Superintendent Kilino Marquez said these hearings are a way for the student and parents to present their side of the story.

"The student and his or her parents go to the hearing and present their evidence," he said.

Administrators from the school the student attends also present evidence during the hearing, he said.

A hearing officer, an administrator from another school in the district, who has no advance knowledge of the case, is placed in charge of the hearing and is required to make a ruling from acquittal to a week or a few weeks suspension up to the remainder of the school year. Marquez said.

"There are a lot of ways to deal with the situation, one-week suspension, in school suspensions during lunch, two weeks suspension, even for the remainder of that school year," he said.

Marquez said Hussey did not know anything about the individual who gave him the laptop to sell except for the first name.

An anonymous tip was made to school officials about Hussey trying to sell the laptop and it was found in his backpack, Marquez said.

Police also found a marijuana pipe. Hussey has been charged with receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was released to the custody of his parents following his arrest, Marquez said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197, or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.