Vernon Police Make 2 Drug Busts At Same Hotel On Same Day

VERNON, CT — Two narcotics arrests were made at the same hotel in Vernon on the same day, police records show.

Police posted reports on the incident over the weekend.

At about 6:30 p.m. Friday, Vernon officers were patrolling the area of the Travelodge at 51 Hartford Turnpike and noticed a vehicle being driven with "equipment issues," specifically dark tints and only one license plate, according to an incident report.

The vehicle exited the property onto Hartford Turnpike and was stopped, police said.

When officers began speaking with the driver, they noticed a digital scale typically used during the sale or purchase of narcotics in the center console area, according to an incident report. Officers also determined the driver, identified as Marcus Richards, 41, of Hartford, had several prior arrests for drug-related offenses, according to an incident report.

At first, Richards was "reluctant to exit his vehicle" and pushed an officer, who was trying to open the door but eventually relented and cAme out of the car, according to an incident report. Canine Franco then searched it and alerted officers to the presence of narcotics, according to an incident report.

An incident report indicates a subsequent search uncovered:

• 132 wax folds containing fentanyl
• 8.4 grams of fentanyl in a plastic bag
• 79.7 grams of powder cocaine
• 9.3 grams of crack cocaine
• $4,675.00 in U.S. currency

Richards was charged with:

• Possession of narcotics
• Possession of narcotics with the intent to sell
• Operating a drug factory
• Interfering with an officer
• Failure to display plates

An earlier arrest was also made at the hotel Friday. According to an arrest report, at 12:47 a.m., an officer noticed a suspicious vehicle in the hotel parking lot.

The driver, a 36-year-old New London resident, was found to be in possession of fentanyl, according to an arrest report.

The man was charged with the use oif drub paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance, records show.