Police Corral Suspcted Drug Dealers In Vernon

VERNON, CT — Police said they have broken up a narcotics operation run out of an apartment in Vernon.

Details on the July 1 raid were released Tuesday.

According to a report, the East Central Narcotics Task Force received multiple complaints last month about drug activity on Progress Avenue in Vernon. Task force members then initiated a month-long investigation and determined that 27-year-old Todd Jones — who goes by the street name of "T.J." — was selling crack cocaine and fentanyl from 18 Progress Ave., Apt. J.

On July 1, task force members, with search-and-seizure warrants in hand, were about to raid the apartment, and Jones, along with a woman identified in a report as his "girlfriend," Crystal Hamilton, were found inside Jones' vehicle on Progress Avenue, authorities said.

As task force members approached the vehicle, Hamilton was observed concealing items down the back of her pants and later admitted to task force officers that she was attempting to hide "narcotics" in her clothing as officers approached, a report indicates.

Two children, aged 3 and 6, were also located inside the vehicle, according to a report.

Task force officers seized nearly 10 grams of cocaine packaged in various quantities, approximately 50 bags of fentanyl, and "various prescription narcotics" from the vehicle, according to a report.

Jones was charged with:

• Possession of a controlled substance
• Possession with the intent to sell a narcotic substance
• Risk of injury to a child (two counts)
• Operating a drug factory

Crystal Hamilton, also 27, was charged with:

• Possession of a controlled substance
• Possession with the intent to sell narcotics substance
• Risk of injury to a child (two counts)
• Operating a drug factory
• Interfering with an officer