Wausau math teacher pleads not guilty to possessing cocaine on school property, judge sets $2,500 bond

WAUSAU – A 23-year-old math teacher at John Muir Middle School in Wausau pleaded not guilty Friday afternoon to a misdemeanor charge of possession of cocaine on or near school grounds.

Marathon County Circuit Judge Scott Corbett set a $2,500 signature bond for Nevan A. Larson of Stevens Point and ordered him to have no contact with any schools or school grounds and to maintain absolute sobriety from and not possess controlled substances.

According to a news release from the Wausau Police Department, Larson was arrested on school property Thursday and taken to Marathon County Jail after a school resource officer at the middle school received a tip that a teacher may have cocaine in their vehicle.

Larson was identified and his vehicle was located and sniffed by a K9, which resulted in a positive alert. During a search of the vehicle, about one gram of a substance suspected to be cocaine was found, according to the police department. A test of the substance was positive for cocaine, the release said.

According to the Wausau School District, Larson has been placed on a leave of absence while the investigation continues.

Diana White, communication coordinator for the district, said in a news release, there are no indications any Wausau School District students are involved at this point although the investigation is ongoing.

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Editor Jamie Rokus can be reached at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus .

This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Wausau math teacher pleads not guilty to possessing cocaine on school property, judge sets $2,500 bond