PD: Crack Sting Nets Arrest of Dealer, Two Customers

report the following arrests:

VIOLATION OF PROBATION, INSURANCE COVERAGE FAILS MINIMUM, OPERATE UNREGISTERED VEHICLE — On March 31, Seth R. Klemba, 30, of Dove Lane was seen by police driving a Hyundai Tiburon without a license place while pulling into the gas station at 339 South Main Street. Upon inspection, the report says, a hand-drawn cardboard plate taped inside the rear window with the plate number and “lost plate.” He was found with an outstanding warrant.

FAILURE TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY, INTERFERING WITH AN OFFICER, ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF NARCOTICS, OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE UNDER SUSPENSION, POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO SELL, DISTRIBUTION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITHIN 1,500 FEET OF SCHOOL, INTERFERING WITH SEARCH — On March 30 at 5:30 p.m., Leon G. James, 23, of Andover Street, Hartford, was seen by police staking out a home on Grand Street driving an Oldsmobile Alero and turned left in front of an oncoming car into the driveway, almost causing an accident, the report says.

Police asked for his license, registration and insurance and were told twice by James to get off his property. He told officers the mother of his child lives at the house; he was found with a small rock of cocaine in his pocket weighing .1 grams. At headquarters, police say, he actively resisted arrest.

A clear cellophane bag with 2.1 grams of crack was found in his buttocks, police say. The report says he has been the target of a narcotics investigation over the past few months. In February, police obtained a search warrant for his room at the Wesley Inn on Washington Street but he moved out before being arrested.

The report also says on March 30, several people text messaged James to buy crack cocaine, including Rahsean Shaheems, 45, of Newfield Street, who allegedly showed up to buy $40 worth of cocaine for a female friend at 10 p.m. from police at the Sunoco Gas Station on Washington Street.

At headquarters, Shaheems removed his jeans because he was wearing a second layer under them and a “fixed blade kitchen knife dropped onto the floor of the booking room,” the report says. He told officers he always carries a knife for protection and had forgotten the knife was in his pants. When his phone rang, police say, they told the woman Shaheems had been arrested for picking up her crack and asked officers for her ATM card back. Shaheems continued to deny she had sent him, police say.

He was charged with criminal attempt to possess narcotics, carrying a dangerous weapon and attempt to commit a crime. He was found with 10 prior convictions for failure to appear and eight probation violations. On March 31 at 1 a.m., another person texted James asking for $80 of crack; and told undercover officers he didn’t have cash but would give James a $200 gift card to Bob’s Discount Furniture.

Detectives met with the man at 1:45 a.m., who had the card and an open folding knife. He was arrested for criminal attempt to purchase crack cocaine, the report says, and his true identity is still being investigated.

VIOLATION OF PROBATION — On March 30 at 6:06 p.m., Rodney Johnson, 21, of Cubeta Road was seen near Main and Washington streets by police with an outstanding warrant.

OPERATION MOTOR VEHICLE WITH CELL PHONE, POSSESSION LESS THAN HALF-OUNCE CANNABIS, DRUG PARAPHERNALIA WITH LESS THAN HALF-OUNCE CANNABIS, INTERFERING WITH OFFICER — On March 28 at 4:31 p.m., Eric Henry, 41, of Knox Boulevard was seen by police driving on Main Street talking on his cell phone near Dingwall Drive. When he opened his window, the report says, the officer smelled marijuana. Henry was agitated and angry, police say, and refused to be handcuffed and fought with officers. A search revealed a vitamin bottle with marijuana, a metal grinder with residue and rolled marijuana cigarette — at total of 2.8 grams.

SIXTH-DEGREE LARCENY — On March 26 at 7:37 p.m., Franswa A. Nowland, 18, of Grand Street came into at Forest City Wine & Liquor on Main Street, according to the owner, with two other young girls who had been yelling outside, placed her hand on her head near the register and looked to be faking an injury. The older woman who came with them asked the owner for ENJ Brandy. The report says he sold her two bottles and they left but he felt something was wrong and check the video footage. On it, Noland was seen putting a bottle of B&B Cognac worth $22.32 in her jacket and leaving without paying after asking the older woman to buy a soda for her. At 9:22 p.m. another officer stopped a car with Nowland in it. The report says her breath smelled of alcohol but she insisted she told the cognac because someone else wanted it and she threw it at the person.

OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE WITH SUSPENDED REGISTRATION — On March 26 at 6:11 p.m., Nicole Riley, 20, of Ferry Street was seen driving on Main Street by police. She told the officer she had recently moved and didn’t know her registration was suspended.