Other Crimes - Infant overdose case

CT Drug Bust

Hartford police nab 5 suspects, seize more than $1 million worth of heroin

POSTED 7:00 AM, JULY 10, 2018, BY DOUG STEWART, UPDATED AT 02:57PM, JULY 10, 2018





HARTFORD — Police in Hartford have arrested five people, seized more than 20 pounds of heroin and confiscated several guns in three drug raids around the city.

Officers executing a warrant Monday said they found almost 20 pounds of heroin with a street value of more than $1 million and two guns at a self-storage facility on Capitol Avenue.

Police said they found two more guns, 10,000 bags of heroin, and thousands of dollars in cash at a Maple Avenue apartment. Two men were arrested at that location.

Three more people were arrested at a Goshen Street home where police also found about 250 bags of heroin, crack cocaine and about $7,000 in cash. They also found three guns, two of which had been reported stolen.

Police arrested Francisco Leon, 38, of Hartford, and charged him with criminal possession of a firearm, possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and operating a drug factory.

They also arrested Alberto Gonzalez, 30, of Hartford, and charged him with criminal possession of a firearm, possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and operating a drug factory. Detectives obtained a warrant and searched 777 Maple Ave. They seized a semi-automatic firearm, more than 10,000 bags of heroin and approximately $5,000 in cash.

In a separate arrest, Orlando Soto, 27, of Hartford, was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a firearm, three counts of weapons in a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, two counts of possession of narcotics, and two counts of possession of narcotics with intent to sell.

David Rodriguez, 24, of Hartford ,was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a firearm, three counts of weapons in a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, two counts of possession of narcotics, two counts of possession of narcotics with intent to sell, and interfering with police.

Antonio Santiago, 28, of Hartford, was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a firearm, three counts of weapons in a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of a stolen firearm, wo counts of possession of narcotics, two counts possession of narcotics with intent to sell, and interfering with police.

Police raided 15-17 Goshen Street Sunday, and arrested the three suspects, who were found to be in possession of drugs and stolen guns. As a result of the investigation and operation, a total of three guns – two of which were reported stolen, approximately 250 bags of heroin, crack cocaine and approximately $7,000 in cash was seized.

In a third case, detectives identified several suspects who they said were selling of large quantities of heroin and believed to be armed. Detectives obtained a search warrant for 755 Capitol Ave., U-Haul Self Storage and on Sunday police seized nine kilos of heroin with an estimated street value of more than $1 million, along with two semi-automatics. Police said the investigation remains ongoing with drugs and gun charges pending.

Kevin Hartshorn

Former Brooklyn CT man pleads guilty in infant overdose case

By John Penney
jpenney@norwichbulletin.com, (860) 857-6965

Posted Jan 20, 2017 at 12:44 PMUpdated Jan 20, 2017 at 3:22 PM

DANIELSON — A former Brooklyn man who pleaded guilty Friday to giving a fatal dose of sleep medication to his infant daughter in 2015 will be sentenced to two years in prison in March.

Kevin Hartshorn, formerly of 648 Wauregan Road, pleaded guilty in Danielson Superior Court to one count of criminally negligent homicide and two counts of risk of injury to a minor. All of his pleas were made under the Alford Doctrine, in which a defendant does not agree with prosecutors’ version of events, but acknowledges enough evidence exists for a conviction at trial.

Hartshorn was initially charged with second-degree manslaughter.

Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Crockett said Hartshorn and his former girlfriend, Justine Barber, regularly dosed their three children with over-the-counter sleep medicine. Crockett said Hartshorn on Feb. 9, 2015 again administered sleep medicine – this time a stronger version - to the children, resulting in the 8-month-old child developing breathing problems.

“Instead of calling 911, or going to a neighbor’s, he contacted (Barber) and the two determined help should not be sought,” Crockett said.