53-year-old Dorothy Ramirez says she never had any drugs in the classroom. She was arrested Wednesday for felony child endangerment and possession of methamphetamine after a traffic stop by Fresno County Sheriff's investigators.
/*Dorothy Ramirez*/ sat next to her attorney Friday afternoon as he spoke about the incident. Her attorney, Chuck Magill said the only bad decision his client made was letting a friend borrow her car. He insists the drugs were not hers, even though they were in her eyeglass case.
Ramirez showed up Friday afternoon appearing polished and put together, a stark contrast from her mugshot just 48 hours earlier. Her attorney would not allow us to ask Ramirez questions about the events that led to her arrest. So we asked her what she would say to parents who are stunned at Easterby Elementary.
"I would say they should be shocked because they know me. And they know who I was when I was teaching their children. What they saw is what they got, I was the real deal. I care deeply and love their children very much and I wanted the very best for them and their education," said Ramirez.
Magill says Ramirez is not guilty of any crime. He claims the drugs sheriff's deputies say were in her purse, never were. Magill alleges the 2 grams of meth, did not belong to her and she had no knowledge of them.
"My understanding and the information that I have is the eyeglass case was found in the car, next to her purse. My understanding is there was nothing found inside of her purse," said Magill.
Ramirez was taken into custody Wednesday along with 28-year-old joseph Frago. Magill described Frago as an acquaintance. He says Ramirez allowed Frago to use her car Wednesday to look for a job while she was at work. He claims Ramirez did not know Frago had meth, marijuana, a replica Glock BB gun and illegal throwing knives in the vehicle when he picked her up from her school Wednesday.
Sheriff's investigators told Action News Thursday the case against Ramirez and Frago is solid.
Friday Ramirez says she is just trying to digest everything that's happened over the past few days.
"My family's been a good support system for me. We've just been at home, talking everything out and I've been fine," said Ramirez.
Magill also claims his client was not with Frago when he committed an armed robbery at gunpoint last month. He also says Ramirez is not a drug user.
For now, Ramirez remains on paid administrative leave from Fresno Unified.