Extra Surveillance of Parking Lot Results in Drug Arrests

A police officer conducting extra surveillance of a South Norwalk parking lot Monday night resulted in the arrest of three city men in an SUV allegedly containing numerous bags of marijuana packaged for sale.

Complaints of ongoing narcotics trafficking and juveniles causing property damage in the lot at 55 North Water St. resulted in officers patrolling the area being told to give it special attention.

Officer Brendan Collins was parked in the lot with his lights off at around 8:50 p.m. when he observed an SUV back up into a parking spot at the back of the lot and turn off its headlights, according to department spokesman Lt. Praveen John.

Collins reported that as he exited his car, the SUV's headlights turned on, and as he approached the vehicle -- which had both passenger-side windows lowered -- he detected the smell of marijuana.

Collins reported he asked the driver what they were doing, and the driver said he needed to make a phone call and didn't want to do so while driving. Collins said he requested a K9 officer come to the location with his dog, who is trained to detect narcotics.

Collins reported the men in the SUV gave permission for the dog to enter the vehicle, and it signalled it detected drugs in two locations. The officers allegedly found 42 plastic bags containing marijuana inside a tin box on the front seat and a large bag containing marijuana in the center console. They also reported finding a digital scale inside a backpack, along with empty plastic bags of the same type as the bags found in the tin box.

None of the men would claim ownership of the marijuana, so all of them were arrested on the same charges.

Jermy Gedeon, 20, of 18 Nelson Ave., Ainsley Brown, 19, of 10 Jefferson St., and Tre McPherson, 19, of 4 Gwendoline St., were charged with conspiracy to sell or possess a controlled substance; illegal possession or sale of drugs within 1,500 feet of a school; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a school; possession of drug paraphernalia while illegally manufacturing, distributing or selling marijuana or a controlled substance; illegal manufacture, distribution or sale of a controlled substance that is either marijuana or a substance that is not a hallucinogenic or narcotic; and illegal possession of four ounces or more of a cannabis-type substance.

Each was held on $50,000 bond and given court dates of July 6.