Police Break Up Two Mobile Drug Operations In Vernon, Reports Say

VERNON, CT — Police said they broke up two drug operations in separate arrests in Vernon last week.

At 3:36 p.m. on Sept. 5, a Vernon officer stopped a speeding gray 2012 Honda Accord along the 400 block of Talcottville Road, for, among other violations, excessive window tint, according to an arrest report.

The driver, identified as 34-year-old Andre Tilghman, of Vernon, tried to flee the scene, but was chased down after a brief foot pursuit and taken into custody, according to an arrest report. Police seized quantities of drugs in the vehicle "consistent with a narcotic sales operation" after searching the car, including 6.67 grams of crack cocaine and 4.88 grams of powder cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia and a large sum of cash, according to an arrest report.

Tilghman, who has an extensive arrest record in Vernon, was charged with:

• Traveling unreasonably fast
• A tinted glass violation
• Delivery of drug paraphernalia
• Interfering with police
• Possession of a narcotic substance (2 counts)
• Possession of a controlled substance (2 counts)
• Possession of drugs near a school or daycare
• Negligent pedestrian
• Violation lost plates requirements

Tilghman posted a $175,000 bond and was assigned a date of Sept. 17 in Rockville Superior Court.

A day earlier, at 1:35 p.m., the East Central Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on a vehicle being driven by 41-year-old Manchester resident Jacquan Ricks in a Supermarket parking lot, according to an arrest report. The search uncovered several drugs packaged for sale, including psilocybin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana, according to an arrest report.

Also located in the vehicle were 30 mg oxycodone pills, a "large quantity of drug paraphernalia," and one live round of 9mm ammunition, according to an arrest report.

Ricks, who was convicted of felony possession of drugs in 2016, was charged with:

• The use of drug paraphernalia
• The sale of a hallucinogen
• Possession of narcotics with the intent to sell
• Narcotics possession (4 counts)
• The Illegal sale or manufacture of cannabis
• Operating a drug factory
• Criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Ricks appeared in Rockville Superior Court that day and his initial $400,000 bond was cut in half. He did not post it and remained in custody Tuesday with a return court date of Oct. 10, according to judicial system records.