Couple nabbed on drug charges

MIDDLETOWN

A local couple with several pending arrests were nabbed by Middletown police Friday after police observed a suspicious transaction in a Main Street parking lot.

Gino Luigi Rizzo, 18, 774 Millbrook Road, Middletown, and Alexa Jerjies, 18, 3 Curry Lane, East Hampton, were both charged with possession of narcotics, possession with intent to sell, possession of narcotics with intent to sell in a school zone, possession of drug paraphernalia in a school zone and conspiracy to sell narcotics.

After receiving numerous anonymous complaints

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about possible narcotic activity and drug dealing in the parking lot of 416 Main Street near The Dollar Store, a police narcotics unit began surveillance on March 1.

After about two hours, a white man entered the parking lot on a bicycle, police said. He made numerous calls on his cell phone and appeared to be waiting for someone to arrive.

Around 5 p.m., a black Saab entered the lot and the man on the bike approached the car. Believing this was a drug transaction, detectives approached the car, police said. Once they got close to the car, the passenger, later identified as Rizzo, reached under the seat and police opened the passenger-side door. In plain view was a clear plastic sandwich bag containing numerous paper wax folds bound by elastic bands, police said. The type of packaging is consistent with the way heroin is packaged for resale, police said.

Rizzo was removed from the car and handcuffed. Jerjies, who was the driver, was also removed from the car and separated from Rizzo, police said.

Rizzo allegedly told police they had driven to Hartford to pick up the heroin and intended to sell some of it in Middletown. Jerjies denied any involvement, police said.

When police searched the Saab, they found another single wax bag between the driver’s side seat and the center console in addition to a hypodermic needle. When testing the drugs found in the car, it was confirmed the bag contained about 23.1 grams of heroin.

Police also said they found two cell phones that contained text messages requesting the purchase of narcotics.

Rizzo has three prior arrests that are pending, police said: He is facing criminal trespassing charges out of Guilford and two larceny charges out of Madison. Surety bond was set at $30,000 and a court date scheduled for March 15.

Jerjies has a pending arrest out of East Hampton for use of a motor vehicle without permission and failure to appear, police said. Bond was set at $20,000 and a court date scheduled for March 15.