Two school bus drivers are due in Rockville Superior court Friday to face charges of dealing heroin out of apartments in Vernon and Manchester.
Jorge Aviles, 28, and Ashley Byrdsong , 29, are charged with heroin possession , operating a drug factory, and risk of injury to a minor.
East Central Connecticut drug task force agents stopped Aviles as he was driving away from his apartment in Vernon Thursday. Police say he had a .40 caliber handgun on him and another gun was found inside his apartment.
Byrdsong's Manchester apartment was also searched.
In the end, police say they discovered cash and 240 bags of heroin.
According to a statement released by Bloomfield Public Schools,
Byrdsong was a school bus driver providing morning service only to two out-of-town students enrolled in the Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School in Bloomfield. Tuesday was the first day of school for Bloomfield Public Schools. Byrdsong did not drive the Bloomfield bus Thursday or Friday.
Dattco manager Frank Baio tells Fox CT both are on unpaid leave pending the results of the investigation.
Capital Region Education Council issued a statement:
Yesterday, we learned that two DATTCO school bus drivers were arrested on several very serious charges. These individuals drove buses on behalf of DATTCO for the routes managed by CREC for school districts throughout the region.
Since their arrests, these individuals have been suspended without pay by DATTCO pending further investigation. CREC has disqualified them from driving any CREC-contracted buses. Records show that both drivers passed the background check.
"At no point were any school children at risk, as these activities are alleged to have happened away from work."
"Dattco conducts thorough background checks on all employees and there was nothing on the driver's record that would have prevented him from being hired."
"It's a shame that this individual and his actions away from work are tarnishing the many other responsible employees of Dattco."
Dattco said Aviles drove a bus from Manchester the Webster School in Hartford.