Spokane elementary teacher arrested on suspicion of heroin possession

A Ridgeview Elementary School teacher was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of heroin possession, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Spokane Valley deputies arrested Peter J. Nemeth, 52, at the Super 8 Motel on North Argonne Street after responding to the motel for a noise complaint around 5 a.m. At the scene, witnesses told deputies Nemeth was selling heroin from his room.

Court documents say Nemeth was not at the motel, so deputies returned later in the morning to talk to him. He consented to a search of his room, where a deputy found a bag with a brown substance that appeared to be heroin, as well as spoons, needles, digital scales and cash.

Nemeth allegedly told the deputy he does not use heroin, only methamphetamine. He told the deputy he traveled to Seattle to get heroin to sell because he’s broke, court documents say. He said his wife’s drug addiction has put him in this position and said he’d only sold to one person so far.

According to data from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Nemeth’s was paid $61,447 last school year. He teaches third grade.

Spokane Public Schools spokesman Kevin Morrison said Nemeth has been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 20, but would not elaborate on the reason for the leave. Nemeth has been a teacher for 25 years and has been at Ridgeview for most of that time, Morrison said.

Nemeth was released from jail on his own recognizance after a court appearance Thursday afternoon.