GROTON MAN CHARGED WITH OPERATING DRUG FACTORY

Groton — A Branford Avenue man was charged Friday afternoon with operating a drug factory after local and state police as well as federal agents executed a search warrant at his home.

Jose Esquilin, 43, of 238 Branford Ave., was also charged with sale of of illegal drugs and risk of injury to child.

Esquilin was originally held on a $50,000 bond pending arraignment Monday in New London Superior Court. He was then remanded by the parole department to the Department of Correction, where he’s is being held. According to Department of Correction records, he was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison and 5 1/2 years of special parole in May 2019 for criminal possession of a pistol. His maximum release date was December 2022.

According to state police, Esquilin was arrested after members of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the Statewide Narcotics Task Force and Groton City Police searched his home. Police had obtained the search warrant after investigating whether Esquilin was selling narcotics from his home. At the same time, his home was being searched, the task force and state police stopped Esquilin’s car in the area of 45 Thomas Road.

As they began the search of Esquilin’s home, police said they found a 14-year-old boy on the second floor. Police said they also found what’s suspected to be more than 40 grams of cocaine, almost 14 grams of fentanyl, about 7 grams of crack cocaine as well as drug paraphernalia. The drugs were found in a large black jacket.