Portage County Deputy Kari Scherer says it all started with a random text message she received last Monday evening, from a number she didn't recognize.
"They went on to say who they were, that the weed we had smoked the other night was the bomb," Scherer explains.
The drug-related message was clearly sent in error, Scherer says, by a 16-year-old Brimfield Township boy.
And of all the possible recipients -- not only is Scherer a deputy, she is also the county's Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer.
"That's pretty hysterical," Scherer says. "I'm out there to teach drug resistance and here, someone's wanting [to buy] drugs off of me."
Though humorous, the coincidence turned into an opportunity when Scherer shared the text message with Portage County Sheriff David Doak.
"I said you gotta run with this and see if you can set up a deal of some sort," Sheriff Doak told Fox 8 News.
Deputy Scherer and the teen exchanged text messages for three days, hashing out the details of a drug deal.
"He texted back $300 for three ounces and I knew then he was serious about wanting to purchase some," Scherer explains.
She says that's when she handed the case over to the Portage County Drug Task Force, who arranged to meet the teen along Saxe Road near Suffield Township.
Agents took the teen into custody and confiscated the drugs, which ironically, turned out to be counterfeit.
Sheriff Doak says one teen's embarrassing bust can serve as a warning to others.
"People think that they can make quick money, kids are enticed by that at times and there's serious consequences to it and we hope that he's learned a lesson from it."
Even though the drugs were fake, Sheriff Doak says intent to sell is still a crime.
The teen is now facing delinquency charges.
I don't understand the part about the counterfeit drugs...
