The Board of Selectmen placed Canton's Animal Control Officer Paul Bastable on administrative leave Tuesday. The leave came after the Animal Control Officer was arrested on drug charghes in Stoughton Monday night while he was in a town-owned Animal Control van, according to town officials.

Bastable, 40, was arrested on Pearl Street in Stoughton at 7:12 p.m. on Monday, according to the Stoughton Police. 

The Canton resident was charged with possession of a Class B drug; possession to distribute a Class B drug; and conspiracy to violate drug law, according to police.

Stoughton Police also arrested Armando Cedeno at the scene. The 28-year-old Malden resident was charged with trafficking cocaine; distributing cocaine; possession to distribute a Class A drug; possession of a Class A drug; and conspiracy to violate drug law.

The Canton Board of Selectmen placed Bastable on a 30-day, paid, administrative leave pending a town investigation. The BOS announced the leave at Tuesday night's selectmen meeting.

"The Town of Canton is responding quickly to the alleged incident occurring in Stoughton last evening involving the arrest of one of our staff members, while operating one of the town's two animal control vans," Board of Selectmen Chairman John Connolly stated.

There were no injuries or property damage related to the alleged incident, according to Connolly.

The town of Canton will conduct an administrative investigation, Connolly said Tuesday night.

"We will respond accordingly in terms of appropriate employee discipline" once the internal investigation is completed, the chairman said.

All the animals that are currently in the Canton Animal Shelter are being cared for by part-time employees and volunteers, Connolly said. Animal Control calls are also being handled by part-time employees.

Log on to Canton Patch Wednesday for more details on the arrest and the charges against Bastable.