Investigation Leads To Prostitution, Drug Arrests In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT — Two men were arrested on drug charges and a woman faces a prostitution charge following a weeks-long investigation into “illegal activity” in a Fairfield neighborhood, according to police. During April and May, Fairfield police received several reports from concerned residents of “alleged illegal drug and prostitution activity” at a home on Rosemere Avenue, officials said.

Following an investigation, police said Bianca Garnett is accused of being involved in prostitution out of her home and was involved in multiple hand-to-hand drug transactions. While police were conducting surveillance of Garnett’s home on May 21, they saw what they believed was a hand-to-hand drug transaction between Rhonel Russell and Garnett, according to officials.

“Russell was a passenger in a vehicle and officers followed the vehicle after leaving Garnett’s house,” police wrote in a news release. “Officers then observed the driver drive in the middle of both travel lanes on Park Avenue and a traffic stop was initiated. Before the driver pulled over, officers observed Russell making suspicious movements in the front passenger's seat of the car. Once the driver pulled over, Russell was detained for officer safety because of his suspicious movements and because he was being uncooperative with officers. While being detained, a pill bottle fell onto the ground from Russell’s waistband. Inside the pill bottle were several small baggies containing crack cocaine, PCP, heroin and marijuana.”

Russell was arrested and the driver was cited for failure to drive right, according to police.

Police said that throughout the investigation, officers saw and received reports from neighbors about several men visiting Garnett’s home at all hours of the day and night. Police obtained an arrest warrant for Garnett, which was served on May 28. Milton Laws was at the home when the warrant was served and was found to be in the possession of an ecstasy pill, according to police.

Russell, 39, of Bridgeport, was arrested on charges of possession with intent to sell narcotics (crack cocaine), possession of a controlled substance/narcotic (crack cocaine and heroin), possession with intent to sell a hallucinogen (PCP) and possession of a hallucinogen.

Garnett, 28, of Fairfield, was charged with prostitution.

Laws, 41, of Bridgeport, was charged with possession of a hallucinogenic substance (ecstasy).

"We want to thank the concerned residents who reached out about this illegal activity going on in their neighborhood," Fairfield Police Chief Christopher Lyddy said. "Thanks to the extensive and thorough investigation by our officers, particularly the Quality of Life Unit, we were able to put a stop the prostitution and drug dealing going on in that area."