Preliminary hearings for two people arrested for giving substances to a high school student in Columbus Junction are scheduled for Tuesday. Columbus Junction Police arrested James Huber and Kimberly Butterbaugh after a 15-year-old was found impaired and in distress on December 18th. She was taken to the University of Iowa Hospital for treatment. Huber and Butterbaugh are charged with distribution of a scheduled II substance to a minor, child endangerment, possession of prescription pills, providing alcohol to a minor, distribution of tobacco to a minor, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Huber and Butterbaugh were employees of ABM Janitorial Services. Columbus Superintendent Gary Benda said both worked in the high school, “I’ve known one of them to be there about a year prior to this and the other one had started around the beginning of this school year. In terms of red flags – no, they always seemed a little bit odd.” ABM has been contracted for janitorial services with their district and Louisa-Muscatine Schools for the past six or seven years. Benda said it was a cost-saving measure that began before his time at the district.

When asked if background checks are conducted, Benda told KCII News, “I’m not privy to their hiring procedures, that’s not something we do. The most we do in terms of helping them hire is we have an electronic marquee so we’ll help them advertise.” The contract with ABM Janitorial Services is reviewed by the school board annually. Benda said anyone with questions in the community can contact him directly.