Drug Raid Nets Marijuana,

Cocaine Charges

By Andrew Gorosko

In their continuing long-term investigation into local narcotics activity, police made another arrest late last week, charging a West Street man with several drug offenses following a raid.

On the morning of March 19, the town police detective unit and members of the state police’s narcotics task force arrested Christopher Arnold, 21, of 49 West Street, charging him with possession of narcotics, possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Newtown police said that they and state police arrested Arnold after executing a search-and-seizure warrant at his residence. During the home search, police said they seized approximately one-half pound of marijuana, plus $1,500 in cash.

Police added that in searching Arnold’s motor vehicle, they seized a package of cocaine and two packets of marijuana. Police said they seized a digital scale, which is used to weigh drugs, plus other drug paraphernalia in the raid.

Police said they transported Arnold to the state police’s Troop A barracks in Southbury were his arrest was processed. Arnold was later released on a $10,000 nonsurety bond for a March 29 arraignment on the charges in Danbury Superior Court.

Police said that the March 24 arrest stems from a three-month investigation by town police and state police into local narcotics activity.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe said March 23 that police have been conducting a long-term probe into local drug activity in an effort to control the problem.

The arrest of a Danbury heroin distributor that was made by Danbury police on March 19 is a positive sign, Chief Kehoe said.

“It’s good for Newtown and it’s certainly good for the region,” Chief Kehoe said.

Law enforcement agencies including Newtown police, Danbury police, and state police pursue their drug investigations as a collaborative effort, sharing information with each other in seeking to stop drug trafficking, he said.

Also, police receive many tips from members of the community in pursuing their drug investigations, Chief Kehoe said. Due to a heightened public concern about drug problems, police have recently been receiving more tips than in the past, he said.

On the night of March 11, police arrested two local men on heroin charges, after stopping the vehicle that they were traveling in on eastbound Church Hill Road, near Exit 10 of Interstate 84.

A police investigation revealed there to be 83 small bags of heroin within that stopped vehicle. The small bags of heroin are those that are sold on the street to heroin users. That amount of heroin is estimated to be worth between $1,245 and $1,660 in street sales.

In that arrest, police charged Joseph Bromley, 20, of 79 Mt Pleasant Terrace with possession of heroin and also with possession of heroin with intent to sell.

Police also charged Timothy Samuels, 32, of 128 Hanover Road with possession of heroin.

In Danbury Superior Court on March 24, Samuels, who is free on $10,000 bail, was arraigned on the charge. Samuels’ court case was continued to April 21 to allow him time to hire a lawyer to represent him.

Bromley did not appear in court March 24 for his arraignment. Bromley, who is free on $50,000 bail, is reportedly undergoing treatment.