Middletown Police: Three Charged in Large Pot-Selling Sting

Three city residents, including a felon, are in custody after police discovered more than five pounds of marijuana, morphine tablets, and related paraphernalia, all within easy access by three children in an apartment near Connecticut Valley Hospital.

On Dec. 18, Middletown Police and parole officers executed a search warrant at 29½ Silver Street after receiving complaints from residents after determining that Christian McClain, 40, and his girlfriend and mother of his children Jimail Taylor, 34, were selling marijuana from their home with their children present, the report indicates.

The report says police found three children ages 10, 14 and 17 upstairs along with a strong odor of marijuana. McClain was seen running through the basement trying to escape, the report says. Police found Darick White, 30, of Rogers Road hiding in a downstairs bedroom closet.   

A search revealed more than 5 pounds of marijuana: four bags with one pound of marijuana each, one bag containing three-quarters of a pound, and over a quarter pound of marijuana prepackaged for sale, officers say. There were large amounts of packaging material, with grinders, scales, numerous cellular telephones, a large sum of cash and a camouflage body armor vest in the basement and narcotic morphine tablets inside the home, police indicate.

A black Suzuki motorcycle was found in the breezeway of the home with its vehicle identification number etched off, police say. The investigation into the possibly stolen motorcycle is ongoing. 

The Department of Children and Families was contacted as McClain and Taylor had been selling marijuana with their children present in the residence.

McClain was arrested and held on a $200,000 bond for: possession of marijuana over 4 ounces and with intent to sell, and with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a housing project, possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a housing project, possession of narcotics, operating a drug factory, two counts risk of injury to a minor and criminal possession of body armor.

Taylor was arrested and held on a $25,000 bond for: possession of marijuana over 4 ounces and with intent to sell, and with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a housing project, possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a housing project, operating a drug factory, two counts risk of injury to a minor.

White was arrested and held on a $25,000 bond for: possession of marijuana and with intent to sell, and with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a housing project, risk of injury to a minor and interfering with the execution of a search warrant.

McClain is a convicted felon with a record of assaults, drug possession, threatening, disorderly conduct and failure to appear.