Woodbridge school official arrested on drug charges

Police arrested the Woodbridge Township school business administrator Wednesday after allegedly finding a gram of cocaine in his vehicle, NJ.com has reported.

Dennis Demarino, 46, was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and released on his own recognizance, according to the NJ.com article. Demarino was taken into custody in the Woodbridge Township School Administration Building parking lot after police allegedly witnessed a transaction between the school official and a suspected drug dealer. Demarino was suspended, but will continue to receive his $145,00-per-year salary, the article states.

The Woodbridge Police Department's Special Investigations Unit had previously placed the suspected drug dealer -- Kevin Swayze, 54, of Howell -- under surveillance. Authorities later discovered that he was "dealing cocaine to the business administrator of Woodbridge School District Dennis Demarino," police Lt. Brian Murphy said in a news release obtained by NJ.com.

After witnessing the alleged transaction between Demarino and Swayze, police searched the school official's car and found approximately one gram of suspected cocaine, valued at about $50.

Swayze was also arrested and charged with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance as well as possession and distribution of CDS in a school zone, park zone and public housing complex zone, the NJ.com article states.