Married OC lawyers planted drugs on PTA president, say Irvine police

(CBS) IRVINE, Calif. - An Orange County couple, both lawyers, knew exactly what they were doing when they planted drugs on the president of the school PTA, Irvine police say.

Kent Easter and his wife Jill, both 38, were arrested Tuesday, charged with several crimes for their alleged retaliation against the elementary school volunteer they believe mistreated their son, CBS Los Angeles reported.

According to the station, the apparent bad blood goes back to 2010, when the couple picked up their son from a day care program and claimed he was crying because PTA president Kelli Peters had left him alone for 20 minutes - an accusation Peters denies.

At the time, police had not named Peters.

"Jill Easter is accused of becoming angry with the victim because the defendants believed Jane Doe was not properly supervising their son," Irvine police spokeswoman Julia Engen said.

According to officials, Jill and Kent Easter conspired to have the woman arrested in February 2011 as retaliation, CBS Los Angeles reported.

"At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 16, 2011, Kent Easter is accused of driving to [Peters'] home and placing a bag of Vicodin, Percocet, marijuana, and a used marijuana pipe behind the driver's seat of her unlocked vehicle," Engen said.

Kent Easter then allegedly called Irvine police and under a false name and phone number, told a dispatcher that he was a concerned parent who had witnesses an erratic driver parked at the elementary school, officials said.

Peters was detained by police after officers identified drugs while looking through the vehicle's window, according to authorities. Peters) denied the narcotics belonged to her.

Detectives later determined that the victim was in a classroom at the time of the bogus call placed by Kent Easter.

"Something wasn't right and the officers spent a great deal of time investigating and were able to discount the tip as false," Engen said.

As a result of their investigation, police identified the Easters as suspects instead.

The couple face charges including one felony each of conspiracy to procure a false arrest, and conspiracy to falsely report a crime, Irvine police said.

If convicted, the Easters face a maximum of three years in prison.

Kent and Jill Easter are expected to be arraigned on July 17. They are each being held on $20,000 bail.