- Tempe Police arrested David Muller, assistant director of admissions and graduate program recruiting at the W. P. Carey School of Business, on suspicion of narcotic drugs and drug paraphernalia possession Saturday , according to a police report.
Officers contacted Muller, 28, after a security employee at the Rúla Búla bar on South Mill Avenue called police, the report said.
The employee said he had seen two men in a single stall in the men's bathroom holding a small clear baggy and a "spoon-like" object to their noses and had told them to leave the bar. When police arrived, the employee pointed out the two men walking southbound on Mill Avenue, according to the report.
As police began following the man, Muller turned around and saw two uniformed Tempe Police bicycle officers looking at him, according to the report. He then discreetly reached in his right front pants' pocket and pulled out a small clear plastic baggie with white powder inside, police reported. The officers saw the bag hit the ground, according to the report.
The two men were immediately detained, and the baggie was recovered and still contained a useable quantity of a white, powdery substance believed to be cocaine, according to the report.
The white, powdery substance that remained inside the baggie was flash tested and the results were positive for a narcotic, according to the report.
Residue from Muller's hand was also tested and resulted in a positive test, police reported.
After being read his Miranda rights, Muller denied having a baggie in his pocket, removing the baggie from his pocket and having powdery residue on his right hand despite being shown photos taken by police, according to the report.
Muller was arrested and transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and released pending drug charges.
ASU spokeswoman Julie Newberg said in a press release that Muller has been placed on administrative leave with pay, pending an internal review by the University in accordance with University policy. ASU has zero tolerance for the purchasing or use of illegal drugs, she said.
Reach the reporter at jshanco2@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @joey_hancock
