Police Charge Stratford Man On Multiple Drug, Weapon Offenses

STRATFORD, CT — Newtown police have charged a Stratford man with multiple drug and weapon offenses.

On Apr. 29, a Newtown police officer noticed a vehicle with the wrong plates affixed to it traveling on Queen Street, according to his report. The vehicle turned off the road and parked in the Big Y Plaza located at #6 Queen Street. Police say the officer approached the vehicle to investigate after observing the occupants acting suspiciously.

Following an investigation, police say they found the driver, Ralph Ruggiero, 38, of Monroe Street in Stratford, to be in possession of several bags of heroin and other drug paraphernalia. They also say they found stolen tools from a recent larceny in Bethel, a baseball bat and an illegal butterfly knife inside the vehicle.

Police learned that Ruggiero had three active warrants for his arrest for failing to appear in court on multiple charges ranging from robbery to leaving the scene of a collision. Ruggiero also had an active warrant for his arrest out of Fairfield for larceny, and a suspended license.

Ruggiero was charged with having a weapon in a motor vehicle, two counts of first-degree failure to appear, one count of second degree failure to appear, possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia, sixth-degree larceny by possession, misuse of plates, and operating with a suspended license. He was held on $22,500 bond and scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court.