Salem officer charged with buying drugs from street dealer

A Salem police officer has been arrested after authorities said he purchased a bag of oxycodone pills from a street-level Lynn drug dealer.

On Wednesday, Salem patrolman Matthew Scialdone, 35, was arrested while off duty before his afternoon shift when a Lynn drug task force observed a transaction between a motorist and two pedestrians, the Salem News reported.

Scialdone, the driver, was charged with possession of a class B substance, which authorities believed to be oxycodone pills, WCVB reported in a related article.

Lynn police arrested four people connected to the transaction, WHDH stated. One of the foursome, Scialdone appeared in court on Thursday and was ordered to remain drug-free, though he will not be subject to random screenings.

“It’s not something we expect of our officers,” Salem Police Chief Mary Butler was quoted by the Salem News. “We hold officers to a high standard. We expect officers to uphold the laws, not break them.”

Scialdone was put administrative leave pending any criminal proceedings and an internal affairs investigation, WHDH added.