January 27, 2026 – 2:36 p.m.
NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – A teacher at a Neenah middle school who was placed on leave for alleged drug possession charges had his signature bond issued on Tuesday.
Court records show that 46-year-old Benjamin Schmidt was in court as he pleaded not guilty to possessing a controlled substance and THC.
Schmidt has a plea/sentencing hearing on March 16 at 9 a.m.
Neenah Middle School teacher placed on leave after misdemeanor drug charges
January 5, 2026 – 5:47 p.m.
NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – A teacher at a Neenah middle school was placed on leave by the district after being charged with two misdemeanors.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by WFRV, 46-year-old Benjamin Schmidt is facing two charges tied to drug possession. Both charges are misdemeanors.
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On December 15, authorities were sent to a residence on Maple Grove Drive, where a caller said they had just found Schmidt’s drugs. The caller said Schmidt had ‘hydroxy 7’ and ‘krantom’ in the home.
The officer looked up the substances and found that both were Schedule I controlled substances.
Officers searched the residence and found suspected THC products.
Additionally, officers searched Schmidt’s classroom and his car on school grounds. In his car, officers found a vape pen that appeared to have THC wax that was liquified, the complaint said.
While searching his desk, officers found an empty bag of Kratom Malay, 100 capsules/60 grams, in a drawer.
Schmidt denied having THC on school property, the complaint said. He told authorities that everything was Delta-8 and did not ingest illegal substances while at the school.
The complaint also said officers did not see any signs of impairment while talking with Schmidt.
Schmidt did say that he and his wife were going through a divorce, and the report was consistent with what she would do to gain leverage.
The Neenah Joint School District provided the following statement to WFRV:
The Neenah Joint School District has been made aware of allegations concerning one of its staff members. Upon discovery of the situation, the staff member was immediately placed on administrative leave.
The investigation into the allegations is still ongoing and the staff member remains on administrative leave. The District is committed to ensuring a safe environment for all and, upon conclusion of the investigation, will take all appropriate steps to resolve the situation.
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Schmidt is charged with the following:
- Possession of a controlled substance
- Misdemeanor
- Up to 30 days in prison
- Possession of THC
- Misdemeanor
- Up to six months in prison
Schmidt is scheduled to be in court on January 27 for his initial appearance. WFRV will update this story as the case progresses.
No additional information was provided.
