Matthew R. Kiser

The former middle school teacher who took a backpack full of illegal drugs to work entered numerous guilty pleas on Thursday.

Matthew R. Kiser, 44, of Warren, entered pleas of guilty to charges at four different dockets Thursday during plea court proceedings before President Judge Maureen Skerda.

He entered guilty pleas to: two counts of possession with intent to deliver (ungraded felony); endangering the welfare of children (third degree felony); contraband (first degree misdemeanor); corruption of minors (first degree misdemeanor); two counts of tampering with evidence (second degree misdemeanor); and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia (ungraded misdemeanor).

Specifically, Skerda asked Kiser if he admitted to particular actions: Possessing more than 70 grams of marijuana and 2.2 grams of methamphetamine “in your backpack at Beaty Middle School”… “entering Beaty Middle School with a backpack containing methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia throughout the month of April” and that “police located a methamphetamine pipe in your desk drawer” at school; and in another docket “delivered methamphetamine to another person” while in a mental health unit.

In those and other specific examples, Kiser admitted to the actions.

According to the details of the plea agreement negotiated between Kiser and his attorney, Henry Borger, and the Warren County District Attorney’s Office, additional charges including: Corruption of minors; recklessly endangering another person; possession a weapon on school property; three counts of possession of a controlled substance; and adulteration of a controlled substance; will not be prosecuted.

One of the conditions of the agreement, according to Borger, was that the District Attorney’s office would not oppose a sentence of state intermediate punishment. The program was designed for those convicted of drug-related offenses without violent crimes. Skerda said the district attorney’s recommendation is no longer one of the requirements to qualify for such a sentence.

Skerda listed the maximum sentences and fines applicable to all of the charges. The maximum aggregate sentence Kiser could face is 43 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

A sentencing date had not been set as of Thursday evening.