Police Arrest Five

Following Drug Deal Gone Bad

By Andrew Gorosko

Police said they arrested five teenagers following an altercation that stemmed from a drug deal that had gone bad on the evening of Tuesday, May 31, in the Taunton Lake Drive neighborhood.

Police allege that the incident involved two groups of people — three people who planned to buy some marijuana and two people who planned to sell it to them.

At about 6:20 pm, police were dispatched to the area of Knollwood Drive for a reported fight in progress. It also was reported to police that one of the suspects had a firearm. The firearm possession later proved to be erroneous, police said. There were no injuries in the incident, according to police.

About eight police responded to the Taunton Lake Drive area.

Police, using their German shepherd to track, located two suspects in a wooded area behind a home. Police said they found the suspects near 21 Taunton Lake Drive.

By this time, the three other suspects involved in the incident had fled from the scene in their vehicle, police said.

The police dog alerted police that one of the two suspects found in the wooded area had a vehicle that may contain narcotics, after which police located marijuana in the vehicle driven by David Asetta, 19, of Monroe, police said.

Police said they charged Asetta with second-degree breach of peace, conspiracy, and possession of less than four ounces of marijuana. Police said they released him on $1,000 bail for a June 14 appearance in Danbury Superior Court.

A 17-year-old boy from Newtown, who also was found in the wooded area by the police dog, was arrested on six charges police said. The charges are: conspiracy, third-degree assault, second-degree breach of peace, possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

That boy was released on $5,000 bail for a June 6 court date. Police did not disclose the boy’s identity because he is under age 18. Such people are known as “youthful offenders.”

It was both Asetta and the youthful offender whom police allege were planning to sell marijuana to the other three people.

During their investigation, police found the three suspects who had fled from the Taunton Lake Drive area in a vehicle. Police said they located the youths in the parking lot of the Big Y supermarket on Route 6 in Bethel. All three youths are Bethel residents, police said.

Police said they charged Connor Bailey, 19, with offenses including conspiracy, first-degree robbery, second-degree breach of peace, possession of marijuana, illegal storage of a prescription medication, and criminal attempt.

Also, police charged Christopher Iglesia, 18, with conspiracy, first-degree robbery, second-degree breach of peace, possession of marijuana, and criminal attempt.

Additionally, police arrested Christopher Hill, 18, on charges of conspiracy, first-degree robbery, second-degree breach of peace, possession of marijuana, and criminal attempt.

Each of the three Bethel men were released on $10,000 bail for June 14 court appearances, police said.

Police Lieutenant George Sinko said that Bailey, Iglesia, and Hill apparently went to the Taunton Lake Drive area to buy marijuana from Asetta and the youthful offender. However, the three men from Bethel then allegedly attempted to steal that marijuana instead of buying it, resulting in the altercation, the lieutenant said.