Joshua Foust: Former High School Principal Arrested For Selling Heroin

Joshua Foust may have taken Breaking Bad a little too seriously.

The former Missouri elementary school principal was arrested on Wednesday on charges that he was dealing heroin, a story very similar to the popular AMC show about a high school teacher turned meth kingpin.

The 33-year-old Foust was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and was jailed on $100,000 bond.

Foust claimed he was in Texas for something related to his job in the days leading up to his arrest. Police initially thought that the elementary school principal was on the run, and may have been trying to cross the border into Mexico. He ultimately returned and turned himself in without incident.

Just days before the arrest, Joshua Foust resigned his position as principal of A.D. Stowell Elementary School in Hannibal, saying he was taking another job. It is not clear if Foust had a second job lined up or if he knew he was under investigation when he resigned.

Police said there was no evidence that Foust sold drugs to students or staff.

“It’s very sad,” said Patti Talbert, the director of the Northeast Missouri Drug Task Force.

Joshua Foust was not the only one nabbed by police. They also arrested his 31-year-old brother Samuel Foust and a third man, 32-year-old Ryan Thompson.

It was actually Joshua’s brother Samuel who sparked the case. An anonymous tip led police to Samuel’s home, where they found heroin and methamphetamine. They later searched the home Joshua Foust shares with his wife and young son, finding more heroin and methadone.

The heroin seized had a total street value of between $8,000 and $12,000, Talbert said.

Foust is not the only educator making headlines for some allegedly bad behavior. In Iowa, kindergarten teacher Jennifer Rich was found allegedly holding a can of beer in her classroom. Police found more empty cans and gave Rich a breath test, which she failed.

Like Foust, Rich was apparently careful to keep her activities away from students.

“We are not aware that any students were put in any kind of unsafe situation or that really students had questions at all. Our principal did take this weekend and call every parent at East to assure them that their student had been safe at all times,” said Ankeny Schools Chief Human Resources Officer Jenifer Owenson.

Joshua Foust is expected to be in court on Friday for arraignment.

[Image via WGEM]