Police Catch Man Allegedly Stealing Newport Railroad Track, Parts

Middletown police made the following arrests recently. 

• Valerian Valles, 43, of 2355 West Main Road, Portsmouth, was arrested on Dec. 14 at 11:04 a.m. after allegedly stealing wood and other parts from the Newport Dinner Train. Police say they noticed a black Dodge Dakota truck parked near the west side of railroad tracks along Burma Road. A man was standing at the back of the truck with large branches. He told police he was gathering kindling to start a fire at home. Police then found the following items in the truck bed: 40 to 50, 1' long plates used to hold railroad tracks; a small piece of railroad track; miscellaneous metal items; and old down spouts and gutters. Two metal brackets were also found on the ground next to Valles, who told police he had permission from a Newport Dinner Train employee to take items. Police called Newport Dinner Train owner Robert Andrews, who arrived at the scene and told police he gave no such permission. The items were valued at $500.  Valles was then arrested and charged with larceny under $1,500. 

• Harmonie Brasefield, 21, of Providence, was arrested on Dec. 16 at 1:12 a.m. and charged with possession of a controlled substance, Diazepam, a felony. She was also wanted on a Second District Court bench warrant at the time of her arrest. The arrest stemmed from a motor vehicle stop on West Main Road near St. Lucy's Church. Police stopped a gold Lexus after seeing snow on the windshield, obstructing the operator's view, according to the police report. Police observed the driver reach for something on the passenger side floor and detected an odor of marijuana. Upon a search of the vehicle, police located the following items in the passenger's purse: several marijuana pipes, a marijuana grinder, a small bag of marijuana and a bottle containing five pills of the prescription anxiety drug, Diazepam, and 10 Mirtazapine pills. The passenger, Brasefield, told police the bottle belonged to her mother. However, the pills inside did not match the prescription. Brasefield was arrested and charged. The driver was given a citation and released from scene.