Poway

Four Poway city employees were arrested Friday on suspicion of drug dealing, City Manager Jim Bowersox said.

Bowersox said a tip was received on the city’s drug hot line last October indicating that some workers were selling drugs on the job. The city contacted the sheriff’s department, which then embarked on a six-month undercover investigation leading to Friday’s arrests.

The four suspects were charged with the possession for sale of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine. They were David Paul Anderson, 29, of Poway; Donald Lee Stuart, 21, of Escondido; Richard Francabandera, 41, of Poway; and Michael Daly Meyer, 24, of Poway.

All four worked on the city’s field crew, which is responsible for maintaining the city’s streets, parks and sewers. Bowersox has recommended that they be fired.

Fifteen other employees who were suspected of on-the-job drug use were being held for questioning by sheriff’s deputies Friday. Bowersox said they would be put on paid administrative leave until decisions were reached in their cases.