Henry County teacher and husband arrested on drug charges

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - A Henry County teacher is out of the classroom and out of jail on bond after her arrest on drug charges, according to officials.

Officers accuse Natalie Pignataro of intending to sell drugs when they arrested her at her home in Locust Grove Thursday. School leaders say the 37-year-old educator is a kindergarten teacher at Rocky Creek Elementary School in Hampton.

A spokesperson for the Flint Circuit Drug Task Force says, during the search and arrest, authorities found four pounds of marijuana packaged for resale, more than 20 THC oil vape pens and several ecstasy pills in her house, according to FOX 5 News partner The Henry Herald. The agency also arrested her husband, Joel, Sunday on similar drug charges. But the agency says there's no indication that the alleged drug activity had anything to do with her role as a teacher.

A spokesperson for Henry County Schools says Pignataro is on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The teacher has been with the school system for 13 years, FOX 5 has learned.