Former Elkhart teacher arrested again on suspicion of dealing meth

Tribune Staff Report

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Michelle Stancati (Photo provided)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Mar 4, 2009 at 2:33 PM EST

Story Updated: Mar 4, 2009 at 2:33 PM EST

ELKHART CO. — A former Elkhart teacher awaiting trial on charges of dealing in methamphetamine was arrested again in Elkhart County Wednesday on suspicion of dealing meth, police said.

Michelle M. Stancati, 35, who has a June 8 court date after she was charged in November in connection with a separate meth case, was arrested about 2:30 a.m. at a home at 22043 County Road 45 near Goshen, said Trevor Wendzonka, Elkhart County police spokesman.

Stancati, who was still in custody Wednesday afternoon, was being held on no bond, police said.

Trent Smith, spokesman for the Indiana State Police, said authorities uncovered a "one-pot method" lab at the home, and Stancati and another unidentified woman were arrested.

Michelle Stancati and her twin sister Maria M. Stancati, also 35, were arrested in November at their home in the 500 block of East Woodside Street in South Bend after firefighters responding to a blaze inside the home detected a strong odor of ammonia and found alleged ingredients in the manufacturing of meth.

Both face one count of Class A felony dealing in methamphetamine within a 1,000 feet of a school. Their former residence in South Bend is 591 feet from Monroe Elementary School at 312 Donmoyer Ave.

Maria Stancati also was charged last month with driving while intoxicated while having a prior DWI conviction in connection with her Aug. 25 arrest for driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor. She was charged with a Class D felony after prosecutors learned of a prior conviction for driving while intoxicated out of Noble County, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office said.

Michelle Stancati was a teacher at North Side Middle School in Elkhart, while her sister was a teacher at Elkhart Memorial High School.

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