Police Recover Drugs, Loaded Gun; 2 Men Arrested: Stamford Police

STAMFORD, CT — Two men were arrested on Oct. 4 and police said they recovered crack cocaine and a loaded gun in the process.

Marcus Watson, 37, of Stamford, was taken into custody around 2:15 p.m. last Friday. Police said they believe Caleb Newell, 29, also of Stamford, was made aware of Watson's arrest and drove over to his residence to retrieve a gun.

The SPD's Narcotics and Organized Crime (NOC) Squad had been investigating Watson and possible crack cocaine sales throughout the city, Assistant Stamford Police Chief Richard Conklin said. Investigators secured search warrants for Watson, his vehicle and his home on Riverside Avenue.

On Oct. 4, officers found Watson standing in the area of West Main Street and Rose Park Avenue, Conklin said. After a brief foot pursuit and struggle, Watson was taken into custody with the help of a K9 officer and uniformed officers, Conklin said, adding that "a lot of people" in the area saw the arrest.

Police found Watson in possession of 3.8 grams of crack cocaine, Conklin said.

As officers were heading to Watson's home, a detective stationed outside the residence noticed a man later identified as Newell drive up "very rapidly" in a car Watson often used and that investigators had a search warrant for, Conklin said.

"He went running into the house," Conklin said of Newell. "Our eye on the house reported that to our NOC officers and others. They hustled over there, and sure enough, Newell came running out of the house after a very short time and was clutching something in his waistband and jumped into that vehicle we had a search warrant for."

Arriving officers blocked the car in, and later recovered a loaded Ruger semi-automatic .22 caliber handgun, Conklin said.

"Watson took custody of the firearm. He said that was his firearm, and it was in his bedroom prior to Newell grabbing it. Newell learned of Watson being arrested on the streets, so he hustled over there anticipating there might be a search warrant at that house, and he grabbed the gun," Conklin explained.

Watson was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, conspiracy at criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of ammunition, conspiracy at possession of ammunition, possession of narcotics and interfering with police. He was given a bond of $250,000, but he was remanded to custody by his parole officer since he's on special parole until 2028, Conklin said.

Newell was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, conspiracy at criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of ammunition, conspiracy at criminal possession of ammunition, and weapons in a motor vehicle, according to Conklin.

Both men are scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on Oct. 18.

"Nice job by Narcotics and Organized Crime who were assisted by a K9 and patrol officers," Conklin said. "This went very well."