Ryan Ellis on leave of absence

EAST AURORA, N.Y. (WIVB) - More than 24-hours after we first told you about an East Aurora High School teacher arrested on drug charges, word has spread quickly through the small town.

36-year old Ryan Ellis is a technology teacher and a coach at East Aurora High School. On Monday night, Buffalo Police say they stopped Ellis for a traffic violation on Goodyear and East Ferry. Officers say it was during the stop they found Ellis in possession of crack-cocaine.

He was arraigned Tuesday morning on drug possession charges.

News 4 has learned this isn't Ellis' first encounter with police.

In August of 2009, Ellis was charged with DWI and petit larceny in Tonawanda. In January of 2001, he pleaded guilty to bringing the drug ecstasy to a party where a person fatally overdosed on the drug.

The big question remaining is, how much did the East Aurora School District know about Ellis' past?

This afternoon, East Aurora Superintendent Brian Russ issued a statement stating in part:

"We have initiated an internal investigation. Mr. Ellis is on a leave of absence and is not teaching." He also stated that Ellis "was cleared for employment by the New York State Education Department.

At the school board meeting held on Wednesday night, about 50 students showed up to support Ellis or simply out of curiosity.

Some students looked up to Ellis as a mentor including one who really looked up to him and is interested in going for Engineering at college after being in one of his engineering classes.

The board members had little to say about Ellis' arrest and the East Aurora School Board President Daniel Brunson says no further action will be taken just yet.