New Jersey school employee arrested for involvement in drug ring while operating a district vehicle.

In a significant drug trafficking operation in Morris County, New Jersey, a district employee of the Madison Board of Education has been arrested, marking a noteworthy development in a ongoing narcotics investigation. According to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Casey J. Young, a 32-year-old resident of Morris Plains, was apprehended on Thursday when he arrived at a Cedar Knolls residence in a school district vehicle, accompanied by two other individuals, Jeremy C. Mayes, 35, of Cedar Knolls, and Adrian D. Schwerdt-O’Neil, 43, of Parsippany-Troy Hills.

This arrest follows the culmination of an investigation that reportedly identified the trio as key players in a drug distribution network that has been operational since September 1. Law enforcement officials executed search warrants at several locations, including homes and vehicles associated with the suspects, which led to the seizure of a variety of controlled substances. Among the items confiscated were suspected ketamine, cocaine, MDMA, and significant quantities of cash, amounting to nearly ,000. Additionally, firearms including a loaded revolver and a stolen Glock 43 were discovered during the searches.

Specifically, within a residence located in Cedar Knolls, detectives uncovered a substantial supply of illicit drugs, while a search of the Parsippany home revealed similar findings along with drug paraphernalia. Notably, the Parsippany storage facility linked to Young yielded a loaded Glock 31 handgun, several tabs of suspected LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, and numerous pills, all indicative of a larger drug distribution operation.

Upon their arrest near the Cedar Knolls home, both Young and Mayes were directly connected to the vehicle registered to the Madison Board of Education, raising concerns about the implications of this involvement in the community. Young’s specific role within the school district has not been disclosed, and the Madison Public Schools administration has yet to release an official statement regarding his arrest.

All three men now face multiple drug and weapons charges, including conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Currently, Young and Mayes remain in custody pending a motion for pretrial detention, while Schwerdt-O’Neil has been released. This case underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in combating drug-related activities and the involvement of individuals in public service sectors.

The Morris County Prosecutor’s office continues to investigate the breadth of this operation, and further developments are anticipated as the legal proceedings unfold.