Cocaine, fentanyl found in backpack leads to Lely High School teacher's arrest

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. —

A Lely High School teacher is facing cocaine and fentanyl possession charges after Collier County deputies said narcotics were found in his backpack.

According to the Collier County Sheriff's Office, Christopher D. Toukonen, 44, was taken into custody on Thursday after deputies found a mixture of fentanyl and cocaine inside his backpack, which was inside his classroom.

CCSO said school administrators were notified that Toukonen was reportedly using drugs while he was alone in the classroom with no students present. School staff found the drugs and contacted CCSO.

Toukonen was booked into the Collier County Jail after detectives interviewed him, and he is also facing a charge of possession of narcotic paraphernalia.

The sheriff's office said detectives later executed a search warrant at Toukonen's classroom and his vehicle on the school campus, but no additional narcotics were found.

This is an ongoing investigation, CCSO said.

Gulf Coast News has reached out to Collier County Public Schools for comment.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.