GROTON – In response to the heroin epidemic, a newly formed law enforcement task force in southeastern Connecticut has made over 20 arrests in less than a month. The latest arrests were thanks to a tip from an informant.
“The majority of people that are using these type of drugs are using it to maintain themselves,” said Lt. John Varone of the Groton Town Police Department. “They're chasing that high, but at the same time they're trying not to get sick.”
The driver of the car that pulled up to Walmart, loaded with drugs, was 40-year-old Rachel Mead, who was unsuccessful in her bid to outrun police. Lorenzo Malcom, 27, the front seat passenger, had 11 grams of powder in his pockets. And, a 29 -year-old backseat passenger, Gilberto Alvarez, was nabbed with nearly 8 grams. All must post a $49,000 bond in order to be released before their next court date, March 30.
“Clearly, there is an effort that is working, as far as getting the arrest,” Attorney Gordon Videll, Malcom’s Lawyer. “The outcome of those arrests? Yet to be seen.”
The trio was hit with numerous possession and intent to sell charges. Cocaine and pot were part of the pinch. But, it's not all about arrests for law-enforcement.
“We're trying to get the people that were having contact with that are having the problem, that have that addiction, that were trying to get them that opportunity to get cleaned up,” said Varone.
A Groton-based alcohol and drug counselor says this heroin epidemic starts with our kids.
“It used to be your buddy gave you a beer and now it's your buddy gives you a Percocet,” said Doug Lavine, CEO of Life Happens, LLC.
Pain killer addictions often leading to opioids, like heroin, which are much cheaper. And, when mixed with fentanyl, much more deadly.
“What their hope is is that the fentanyl will take the edge off even more than just the regular heroin,” said Varone.
Lavine says he's heard all the excuses, especially from parents, who often say their kid isn't going into recovery until they deem themselves ready.
“No,” exclaimed Lavine. “We need to have the conversation with them. We can't be in denial that our child is doing something.”
Overdoses by use of Fentanyl in Connecticut were up 148 percent from 2014 to 2015. But, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, in New London, which was hit with 31 overdoses in a three-week period in February, says things have died down considerably over the past couple of weeks.
Varone says he expects the task force will announce even more arrests in the next few days, and just a few hours after speaking with him he announced the arrest of Kevin Hurley, 42, of Groton. Hurley was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A bit north, in Plainfield, police made another heroin arrest on Tuesday. At 1:52 p.m. police pulled over a car into the McDonald's parking lot as part of an investigation into the sale of narcotics. They arrested Chelsea Conrad, 28, of Plainfield, after finding more than 100 bags of heroin packaged for sale, as well as suboxone.
Conrad was charged with two counts of possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and possession of a narcotic not in its original container.