Farmington Man Among 18 Nabbed in Hartford Drug Sting

HARTFORD, CT — Hartford police said they pulled off a major drug bust Wednesday.

During a day-long operation, the Hartford Police Department Vice and Narcotics Division conducted an operation in the Zion Street and York Street area. The operation was conducted in response to several recent gun-related crimes, along with numerous narcotics trafficking complaints, police said in a news release.

Detectives conducted surveillance in the area, observing individuals buying and selling illegal narcotics from the areas of 600, and 602 to 606 Zion Street, police said.

Police confiscated a handgun from a convicted felon, narcotics, $703 in U.S. currency and obtained "investigative information," police said.

A total of 18 individuals were arrested during the operation.

Arrested were:

• Eric Mitchell, 40, of Hartford, for possession of narcotics.
• Jamie Souer, 32, of New London for possession of narcotics, third-degree criminal trespass.
• Marissa Foley, 27, of New London, for narcotics possession, operating a motor vehicle under suspension, failure to use a turn signal.
• Luis Martinez, 51, of Hartford, for poss of Narcotics, third-degree criminal trespass
• Alexander Roman, 47, of Hartford, for possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Matthew Funk, 31, of New Britain, for third-degree trespassing and poss of drug paraphernalia.
• Walter Vazquez, 47, of Hartford, third-degree trespassing.
• David Rodriguez, 47, of Hartford, third-degree trespassing, narcotics possession, sale of narcotics.
• Jonathan Reyes, 33, of Hartford, third-degree trespassing.
• Carlos Hernandez, 40, of Hartford, third-degree trespassing, a cell phone violation, possession of narcotics, possession of a controlled substance.
• Anthony Martinez, 24, of New Britain, third-degree trespassing, possession of narcotics, failure to use signal.
• Anthony Muscillo, 29, of Farmington, third-degree trespassing.
• Jorge Gonzalez, 43, of Hartford, criminal possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance,. Police said he is a "multiple convicted felon," with 27 previous Hartford arrests.
• Jorge Valentin, 51, of Hartford, third-degree trespassing, possession of narcotics.
• Elias Herrera, 45, of Hartford, third-degree trespassing, possession of narcotics, operating without a license, improper signal.
• Manuel Lozada, 46, of East Hartford, possession of narcotics, possession with intent to sell narcotics.
• Jorge Gonzalez, 33, of Hartford, narcotics possession, possession with intent to sell narcotics.
• Jose Claudio, 52, of Hartford, poss of narcotics, possession with intent to sell narcotics.

Evidence collected includes a Jennings Model J22 .22 Caliber pistol, two bags of marijuana, one film Suboxone, one bag of crack cocaine, 147 bags and 100 grams of powder cocaine, 23 bags of heroin and $703 in U.S. currency, police said.

Written by Chris Dehnel (Patch Staff)

Photo credit: Shutterstock