Cops: Fairfield Man Linked to Four Burglaries in Town

[Editor's Note: Arrest information is supplied by the Fairfield Police Department. It does not indicate convictions.]

A Fairfield man was arrested on Friday in connection to two burglaries in town, police said. He had previously been arrested as a suspect in two other burglaries that occurred on Redding Road and Dalewood Avenue in and , respectively.  

Joseph Johnson, 25, of Oldfield Road, was arrested and charged in court with third-degree larceny and third-degree burglary for burglaries that occurred on Sherwood Drive and Taintor Drive in January. He was also charged with failure to appear in court.

Police determined through interviews and evidence seized from Johnson that he was allegedly connected to all four aforementioned burglaries, department spokesperson Sgt. Sue Lussier said.

Johnson’s court date was Feb. 10, but he is scheduled to enter a plea on March 2, according to the Connecticut Department of Justice website. He was held in lieu of several bonds totaling $160,000.

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Three Bridgeport women were arrested on Saturday and charged with sixth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit the crime after they allegedly shoplifted $408 worth of merchandise from the Villa Ave , police said.

Jasmaine Blackwell, 23, Thadlesha Brayboy, 22, and Dominique Mcclain, 22, reportedly paid for $41 worth of merchandise and used those goods to cover up the stolen items, police said.

They were stopped by Stop & Shop store managers until police came and transported them to headquarters, where they were charged and processed, according to the report.

All three were released on a promise to appear in court on Feb. 24.

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A 19-year-old Westport man was charged with criminal mischief in the second degree on Sunday after he allegedly spray painted the word “FOOKYAH” on the cement wall at the skate park at the South Benson Marina, police said.

Luke Clerkin was reported by a John Doe to police and admitted to spray painting the word onto the wall in big red and green letters, police said. He told police that “Fookyah” was the name of his new business and he was trying to advertise it, Lussier said.

The estimated damage is less than $1,500, though the actual cost was not determined yet, Lussier said.

Clerkin is due in court on Feb. 27. He was released on a promise to appear in court.

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A Bridgeport man was arrested for allegedly shoplifting from the Kings Highway Cutoff on Saturday, police said.

Carlos Cordova, 42, reportedly walked out of the store without paying for $352 worth of groceries, according to the report. Stop & Shop loss prevention detained him until police arrived.

He was released on a $250 bond and is due in court on Feb. 24.

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A student was arrested early Sunday after his residential hall director witnessed him allegedly selling marijuana, police said.

Edmund Coxe, 18, of New Jersey, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal distribution of narcotics, and possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, police said.

The hall director told police he had overheard a conversation between Coxe and another person, and then saw a monetary transaction between the two, Lussier said.

Coxe reportedly had marijuana, a plastic scale, and a grinder in his room, police said. He was released on a $260 bond and is due in court on Feb. 21.

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A Fairfield man was charged with driving under the influence early Saturday after police observed him driving at high rate of speed and conducted a motor vehicle stop, police said.

Jefferson Vera, 31, of Jennings Road also failed to stop at a stop sign before police pulled him over on High Street, Lussier said. When the officer spoke to Vera, he detected the odor of alcohol on Vera and conducted a series of field sobriety tests, which Vera failed, Lussier said.

Vera told police that he didn’t have a license and the car he was driving wasn’t his, Lussier said. He was reportedly coming from MESA on Black Rock Turnpike, according to the report.

Vera was charged with operating without a license (a third offense), failure to stop at a stop sign, and driving under the influence, Lussier said. He was released on a $100 bond and is due in court on Feb. 20.

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A Fairfield woman was also arrested and charged with driving under the influence this weekend, police said.

Kristin Osterberg, 34, of Wormwood Road was arrested Friday evening after she struck the vehicle stopped in front of her near the Brick Walk on the Post Road, police said.

Nobody was injured, but police detected the odor of alcohol on Osterberg’s breath and conducted a series of field sobriety tests, which Osterberg was unable to complete, police said.

Police seized Osterberg’s license, Lussier said. She was released on a $50 bond and is due in court on Feb. 21.

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A Norwalk man was charged with driving under the influence, but the initial report was that he was driving through Fairfield without a front left tire, police said.

The complainant reported a black car driving recklessly on North Benson Road with sparks emitting from the front left wheel well, police said. The responding officer stopped the car and approached the driver, who was reportedly trying to dial a number on his phone while apparently falling asleep, according to the report.

Police detected the odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath. Timothy Carroll, 37, was unable to complete the field sobriety tests and was transported to headquarters.

He was released on a $50 bond and is due in court on Feb. 28.