Anchorage Daily News

An assistant middle school principal who is accused of using drugs on school grounds is wanted on a felony drug charge, according to Anchorage police.

Police were looking for Mario A. Toro Jr. Wednesday night, after they were unable to locate him at home, police Lt. Paul Honeman said. He is charged with third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance.

A school district official reported seeing Toro, an assistant principal at Gruening Middle School, acting "erratically" during a training session at Wendler Middle School Tuesday, Honeman said.

Witnesses told police Toro, 43, was making repeated trips to and from his car, and had a white powdery substance on his nose, Honeman said.

Police executed a search warrant Wednesday on Toro's car and a bag that were seized when he refused a voluntary search, Honeman said. The field test came back positive for a Schedule II narcotic -- drugs like cocaine, methamphetamines and PCP -- and investigators have ordered a full lab test, he said.

Toro was training with other school administrators at Wendler Tuesday and was not around children, Anchorage School District Superintendant Carol Comeau said.

"Pending the outcome of (the investigation) we will make a final decision, but right now he's on administrative leave," she said. "This is a very serious charge and it is not representative of our employees."

Toro has been a teacher and assistant principal with the district for years, and he just transferred to Gruening this school year, Comeau said.

According to court records, Toro has never been charged with a crime in Alaska.

Because the alleged drug use took place in a school zone, it is an enhanced crime that could net a stiffer penalty -- up to 10 years in prison, Honeman said.

Find James Halpin online at adn.com/contact/jhalpin or call him at 257-4589.

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