CHESHIRE -- The county's drug task force arrested an Adams-Cheshire Regional School District (ACRSD) staff member for possessing opiates at Cheshire Elementary School on Thursday morning.
ACRSD's Director of Special Services Kurt Garivaltis, 45, of East Road in Adams, was found to be in possession of one unprescribed 30 mg Percocet pill at the time of his arrest.
Garivaltis was released on bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on a charge of possession of a Class B drug Wednesday, Jan. 30 in Northern Berkshire District Court.
ACRSD Superintendent Kristen Gordon said police began a search of the premises at the start of the school day.
"The authorities are conducting an investigation that led them to search [Garivaltis'] car and office at 7:45 a.m. [Thursday]," Gordon said Friday.
At 9 a.m., Gordon was informed that police would be making an arrest. She said the school was put into a "soft lockdown" for 11 minutes at 9 a.m. to allow for this.
"We didn't want the students to see anything that might upset them," Gordon said. "The staff was made aware and kept [children] in their rooms while continuing with the day. ... [Police] were very respectful of the fact that this is a school."
Authorities preferred to withhold comment until Garivaltis is arraigned. A Massachusetts State Police probable cause report on the arrest is also expected to be filed before the court date.
Though scant on details, a
-- Phil Demers
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