Teaching assistant arrested after his fart spray caused $55,000 worth of damage to school

A high school teaching assistant has been charged with ‘malicious injury to property’ after unleashing canistered odours on the premises.

Alexander Lewis of Florence High School in South Carolina was arrested just recently for using what police labelled an ‘internet-acquired spray designed to imitate fecal odour’, per a press release published by the County Sheriff’s Office on social media.

His rather silly endeavour cost his place of work an eye-popping $55,000 in damage and even risked several students’ health.

The stink-releasing item was purchased online and used multiple times between August 25 and September 19.

When the school kids raised concerns about the continuous smell, maintenance inspected the gas and propane lines before testing for air quality issues.

Yet it was the air conditioning system that took the big hit – leading to that extensive repair job.

Alexander’s prank left a number of students needing medical attention, as one anonymous parent told WKRC: “My son has, his asthma has been triggered multiple times because of this and I had to take him to the doctor three times.”

It’s not yet public knowledge as to how the 32-year-old was identified as the perpetrator – or ‘poo-petrator’ if you’re down for a giggle – but he was placed in cuffs last Friday (September 19) and taken to Florence County Corrections Facility on a $9,000 bond before being sent home a day later.

Alexander is now expected to appear in Florence Magistrates Court for a school disruption charge on October 15, followed by a November 19 hearing in general sessions court for the malicious injury to property charge.

Part of the County Sheriff’s Office announcement reads: “Between the dates of August 25 and September 19, 2025, Alexander Paul Robertson Lewis, a teaching assistant to West Florence High School, is alleged to have sprayed an internet acquired spray designed to imitate fecal odour at the school.

“Investigators allege that Lewis used the spray on multiple occasions and over time resulting in a disruption of the school, children requiring medical attention for respiratory issues and requiring the school to incur an expenditure of over $55,000 for inspection and damage to the school air conditioning system. The investigation into this matter is ongoing and additional charges are possible.”

If he’s found guilty on the malicious injury to property front, Alexander faces at least $10,000 in fines.

As you’d expect, plenty of the online comments have been of a humorous nature, but others were happy to see justice being served.

“Glad they found the source….. hopefully he’ll be ordered to pay back that $55,000 that was spent looking for the issue,” wrote one individual.

“Some people never grow up what a waste of tax payer’s money!” added somebody else.

An outlandish theory cropped up too, reading: “I bet this wasn’t a prank… it was payback. I am willing to bet he was bullied in some ways either by students or staff and he wanted them to suffer!”

A high school teaching assistant has been charged with ‘malicious injury to property’ after unleashing canistered odours on the premises.

Alexander Lewis of Florence High School in South Carolina was arrested just recently for using what police labelled an ‘internet-acquired spray designed to imitate fecal odour’, per a press release published by the County Sheriff’s Office on social media.

His rather silly endeavour cost his place of work an eye-popping $55,000 in damage and even risked several students’ health.

The stink-releasing item was purchased online and used multiple times between August 25 and September 19.

When the school kids raised concerns about the continuous smell, maintenance inspected the gas and propane lines before testing for air quality issues.

Yet it was the air conditioning system that took the big hit – leading to that extensive repair job.

Alexander’s prank left a number of students needing medical attention, as one anonymous parent told WKRC: “My son has, his asthma has been triggered multiple times because of this and I had to take him to the doctor three times.”

It’s not yet public knowledge as to how the 32-year-old was identified as the perpetrator – or ‘poo-petrator’ if you’re down for a giggle – but he was placed in cuffs last Friday (September 19) and taken to Florence County Corrections Facility on a $9,000 bond before being sent home a day later.

Alexander is now expected to appear in Florence Magistrates Court for a school disruption charge on October 15, followed by a November 19 hearing in general sessions court for the malicious injury to property charge.

Part of the County Sheriff’s Office announcement reads: “Between the dates of August 25 and September 19, 2025, Alexander Paul Robertson Lewis, a teaching assistant to West Florence High School, is alleged to have sprayed an internet acquired spray designed to imitate fecal odour at the school.

“Investigators allege that Lewis used the spray on multiple occasions and over time resulting in a disruption of the school, children requiring medical attention for respiratory issues and requiring the school to incur an expenditure of over $55,000 for inspection and damage to the school air conditioning system. The investigation into this matter is ongoing and additional charges are possible.”

If he’s found guilty on the malicious injury to property front, Alexander faces at least $10,000 in fines.

As you’d expect, plenty of the online comments have been of a humorous nature, but others were happy to see justice being served.

“Glad they found the source….. hopefully he’ll be ordered to pay back that $55,000 that was spent looking for the issue,” wrote one individual.

“Some people never grow up what a waste of tax payer’s money!” added somebody else.

An outlandish theory cropped up too, reading: “I bet this wasn’t a prank… it was payback. I am willing to bet he was bullied in some ways either by students or staff and he wanted them to suffer!”