SALEM — The former Salem Zoning Board of Adjustment chairman who resigned in the wake of his arrest on felony drug charges has waived his first court appearance scheduled for Monday.

Ron Giordano, 53, was scheduled to appear before a judge in 10th Circuit Court on felony drug charges stemming from his Dec. 30 arrest.

Defense lawyer William A. Gilmore Jr. filed paperwork asking a judge to skip the arraignment so Giordano's case can proceed to a probable cause hearing.

Arraignments are generally held to determine bail for a defendant, but Giordano posted $10,000 cash to free himself from the Rockingham County jail two days after his arrest.

If the probable cause hearing happens on Feb. 28, then police would likely have to testify about their investigation into Giordano that led him to be charged with three counts of sale of a controlled drug and a single count of conspiracy to sell a controlled drug.

Giordano was under investigation for roughly a month and a half after police say they received a tip about the former town official selling Oxycodone pills out of his home, according to police affidavits.

According to court documents, a confidential informant kept under surveillance by police made three purchases from Giordano, who allegedly sold more than 100 pills to police during three weeks in December. Detectives also recorded a conversation in which Giordano offered to broker a future drug transaction with someone posing as a buyer, police said. That, according to police, led to the conspiracy charge. 

Giordano faces up to 3 ½ to 7 years in state prison on each of the charges if he is convicted.

Giordano's arrest marked the second time in the last year a Salem town official has faced felony charges. 

Jeffrey Gray, a Salem planning board member, was charged last March with kidnapping and aggravated felonious sexual assault after he allegedly held a New York City woman against her will. 

That case is currently pending in superior court.