State police arrested former Massachusetts probation chief Milton Britton Sr. last Friday for cocaine trafficking.

Mr. Britton, 65, was found with three small bags of cocaine in his pocket when police met him exiting his Oak Bluffs home in the Sengekontacket condominiums. According to the police report released this week, a subsequent search of his rooms turned up an additional 36 individually-wrapped cellophane bags in his basement ready for distribution. Police found 39 grams in total.

State police Sgt. Jeff Stone executed the search warrant alongside officers of the Martha’s Vineyard Drug Task Force and a K9 officer from the Barnstable Sheriff’s Department.

“We had him under surveillance for last week, and on the day we executed the search warrant we had some guys out there watching, and we saw several cars pull up and stay for short periods and leave,” Sgt. Stone said earlier this week, adding the cocaine found was about $3,900 in street value.

Cutting agents, scales and ledgers were also found during the search.

When questioned, Mr. Britton made admissions about being involved with cocaine distribution. Sgt. Stone said the task force does not know how long Mr. Britton has been dealing cocaine but they had heard his name mentioned in the past year or two and believe therefore it was at least that long.

Mr. Britton worked for the state probation service from 1970 until 2000, then retired to the Vineyard and worked as an assistant teacher at the regional high school for six years.

He most recently worked as a baggage handler for Cape Air at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport, but Sgt. Stone said there was no evidence of connection between the trafficking charge and his employment.

Mr. Britton pleaded not guilty on Monday in district court, and was released on $500 cash bail on the condition he surrender his passport.