Nearly 6 Pounds Of Pot Confiscated In Middletown Traffic Stop: Warrants

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Middletown police confiscated nearly 6 pounds of cannabis during a testy traffic stop late last month and two people are facing drug and gun charges as a result.

Both are also due in court this month after posting high bonds, records show.

Middletown police released warrants in the case to Patch Tuesday after a Freedom of Information request.

The arrests took place on June 27. That day, two Middletown detectives were positioned in an unmarked vehicle on Newfield Street near Washington Street, according to warrants. The detectives noticed a silver BMW with a "heavy" front windshield tint and no front registration plate heading north, according to warrants.

The detectives began following the BMW, and, after it crossed into the shoulder three times, they activated their lights, only to see the car slow down several times but now pull over, according to warrants. The detectives then deployed a tracking device, which stuck to the trunk, according to warrants.

The driver of the BMW, later identified as 23-year-old East Hartford resident Justin Black, then pulled over, according to warrants. At first, the detectives could not see inside the car because of the heavily tinted windows, but Black eventually rolled down the windows, according to warrants.

Police noticed the outline of a gun at the waistband of Black's pants and he was uncooperative and even tried to restate the car to leave the scene, according to warrants. He was eventually wrestled under control and exited the car, at which time police retrieved a handgun, according to warrants.

One round was in the chamber of the gun and 10 more were in the clip, according to warrants.

A passenger, identified as 21-year-old Hartford resident Jayla Hall, was in possession of $382 in U.S. Currency, according to warrants.

Located in the BMW were multiple 3.5-gram bags of cannabis were discovered in the vehicle, along with a .45-cal magazine capable of holding 30 bullets.

The pot stash weighed in at 5.9965 pounds at police headquarters, according to warrants.

Hall was charged with:

• Possession of more than 1 kilogram of cannabis with the intent to distribute
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

She posted a $150,000 bond and has a court date of July 11, judicial system records show.

Black was charged with:

• Failure to display plates
• Disobeying the signal of an officer
• Engaging police in a pursuit
• A lane violation
• A window tint violation
• The use of drug paraphernalia
• Illegal transport/purchase of a pistol
• Illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle
• Interfering with police
• Criminal possession of a firearm
• Violating a protective order
• Possession of more than 1 kilogram of cannabis with the intent to distribute
• Illegal possession of a high-capacity magazine
• Illegal purchase of a high-capacity

Black posted a $450,000 bond and is slated to appear in court on July 29, judicial system records show.