New Drug Sale Charges Against McDowell

Sworn affidavits a Norwalk police officer prepared to obtain two arrest warrants for Tanya McDowell detail how undercover officers allegedly twice purchased crack cocaine and marijuana from her in front of her Bridgeport residence at 311 Dover St.

The warrants were executed Monday in state Superior Court in Bridgeport, where McDowell was arrested and arraigned.

In an unrelated case, McDowell, 33, has gained national attention for being charged with larceny for allegedly enrolling her son in a Norwalk school while she was not a resident of the city.

McDowell has been incarcerated in lieu of $200,000 bond since . That day, Norwalk Police executed two arrest warrants they held for her. She allegedly was carrying narcotics for sale when she was taken into custody, which resulted in additional drug charges being placed against her.

According to Officer Mark Suda, who prepared the affidavits, on May 28 and again on June 1 a Stamford Police undercover officer called a “target telephone number,” McDowell answered, and the officer said he or she wanted to buy crack and marijuana.

In both cases, Suda states, McDowell told the undercover officer (UCO) to come to her Bridgeport address.

In the first instance, McDowell is said to have told the UCO that she was in Bridgeport at a party for her six year old son, and that she didn’t have a ride because her car needs a transmission. She invited the UCO to come to the Dover Street address.

When the UCO arrived, he or she called the target number and McDowell said she was at a liquor store and on her way home. When she arrived, the affidavit says, she walked over to the UCO’s car, they had a brief conversation, and the UCO gave her $125 in City of Norwalk funds. McDowell walked into her residence, then came out and allegedly handed the UCO “6 small, knotted plastic baggies of suspected crack cocaine and ziplock plastic baggies of suspected marijuana.”

The UCO reported McDowell pointed out her son standing on the front porch of the house.

The UCO then met Suda at a location in Bridgeport. Suda wrote he tested what the UCO bought, and the packages showed the presence of cocaine and marijuana.

He said he used Google Earth maps on the Internet and found three schools within 1,500 feet of the location where the drugs were purchased.

Suda said that on May 31 he showed the UCO a photo line-up and the officer picked McDowell’s photo.

The June 1 purchase followed the same scenario as the first.

Suda wrote that this time, when the UCO called the target number, McDowell answered and said she was in Bridgeport and to come see her “at the same spot; everything is good.”

When the UCO arrived at McDowell’s house, he called her and she came outside with a small white dog and got into his or her car. They held a brief conversation, Suda wrote, and then the UCO handed her $120 in City of Norwalk funds. She then allegedly handed the UCO six bags of crack cocaine and two ziplock baggies containing marijuana.

The UCO said McDowell pointed out her son standing on the front porch.

Suda said that afterwards, the contents of the bags were tested and showed the presence of crack and marijuana.

The UCO said McDowell said she left Norwalk earlier because the “DS” were “riding.” Suda said “DS” is a nickname street level drug dealers use to identify police department narcotics units and detective bureaus.

She also advised, the UCO said, that “the Feds” are in Norwalk and that police change the cars they use.

On June 3, Suda wrote, he showed the UCO a photo line-up and the officer picked McDowell’s photo.

Both purchases were audio and video recorded, although in the first case the audio recorder did not work, Suda said.

The combined bond on the new cases is $10,000. She'll return to court July 1.