Riverside High School student arrested for selling marijuana

A Riverside High School student was arrested Thursday for selling marijuana and candy laced with THC to her fellow students. Jessica R. Panessa, 19, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a charge of delivery of a controlled substance. The prosecutor’s office agreed to release her without bail during a brief court appearance Friday because she has no previous criminal history. The school’s vice principal, Michael Syron, told police that he became aware that a student had marijuana, according to court documents. That student identified Panessa as the seller. Panessa initially denied having the drug, but Syron searched her backpack and found several bags of marijuana as well as gummy candies and flavored lollipops labeled “Happy Hashers” that contained THC, court documents say. Panessa admitted to Syron that she was selling drugs to students, but refused to speak to a sheriff’s deputy when he arrived, according to court documents.