One Suspect Eats Stash As Part Of 2 Drug Busts In Vernon: Police

VERNON, CT — One suspected drug dealer ate his stash as a police dog was sniffing his vehicle and another was simply caught with narcotics after a window tint stop in two busts in September, law enforcement reports show.

On Sept. 19 at 3:33 p.m., police stopped a vehicle occupied by two people with "extensive narcotics-related criminal histories" after a lane violation near the intersection of Davis Avenue Extension and Charter Road, according to an arrest report.

A police canine was called to the scene and began sniffing the car and alerted officers to the presence of narcotics, police said. Two pieces of crack cocaine were located on the car's floorboard and the driver, identified as 32-year-old Ellington resident Robert Shepard, was also seen on camera removing a plastic bag of suspected narcotics from his pants and eating its contents, according to an arrest report. That landed him an evidence tampering charge, records show.

Shepard was also charged with possession of a controlled substance, interfering and two motor vehicle violations, according to an arrest report. He is due in court on Oct. 1, records show.

On Sept. 5, Andrew Rashaad Tilghman, 34, of Vernon, was charged with traveling unreasonably fast, a tint violation, delivery of drug paraphernalia, interfering, possession of narcotics with the intent to sell 9 two counts), narcotics possession (two counts), possession of drugs near a school or daycare, being a negligent pedestrian and a license plate violation, according to an arrest report.

At 3:56 p.m. that day, police stopped a gray 2012 Honda Accord being drive by Tilghman near Webster Bank on Route 83 for several motor vehicle violations, according to an arrest report. A search of the car yielded 6.67 grams of crack, 4.86 grams of powder cocaine, drug equipment and a large sum of cash, according to an arrest report.

Tilghman was chased down after exiting the Honda and running away, according to an arrest report.

being held on a $250,000 bond and is due for a second court appearance on Nov. 18, records show.