Garner, NORTH CAROLINA

Oct 2, 2007 -
Amy Lee Snead, 36, a second grade teacher at Polenta Elementary School, was arrested at school and led out in handcuffs. It was part of a drug roundup and the teacher is one of 50 people wanted in connection with a methamphetamine operation.

Sheriff's detectives say she bought more pseudo-ephedrine pills than is allowed over the course of one month. Lee was suspended with pay.

WRAL: Investigators searched the logs of 24 pharmacies to target individuals making multiple purchases of pseudoephedrine pills, the main ingredient in crystal methamphetamine.

Those individuals, referred to as "smurfs" in the drug trade, shop pharmacies for pills in exchange for finished meth products for their personal use, the sheriff's office said.

Also, see Johnston teacher arrested in pill-buying bust And a Picture of her in handcuffs at ABC 11.

Oct 10 - Snead has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation but is still being paid her $44,830 salary.

SENTENCED Feb 5, 2008 - Snead-Lee was sentenced to a diversion program on one misdemeanor count of exceeding the pseudoephedrine limit. Two felony charges of possession and distribution of precursor chemicals were dismissed.Mrs. Snead-Lee's sentence came as the result of a motion by her lawyer; she did not have to enter a plea.

According to the terms of her sentence, if Mrs. Snead-Lee completes the conditions of a court-mandated program over the next year, the charges against her will be dropped. She resigned from the school Nov 23, 2007.