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Police charged Jermel "Kiddy" Bates, 20, of 23 Linden Woods Drive, Apt. B, with five drug-related counts plus one count each of interfering with an officer and risk of injury to a minor after officers executed four arrest warrants. His total bond was set at $275,000.
Lt. Terry Blake said the department's Special Services Division had Bates on their radar for a while.
"During that investigation they determined he was selling large quantities of heroin, we call him a mid-level drug dealer. He was moving a lot of heroin in west Norwalk area of the city" Blake alleged. "Certainly that seizure of that amount of heroin is certainly a dent in that operation in the Colonial Village area."
Blake praised the work of the police unit.
"They should be commended for that. As we know the opioid epidemic in Connecticut is very significant. We have had deaths here in Norwalk and throughout Fairfield County. Hopefully this will help, at least in the City of Norwalk, to stem the flow of some of the heroin."
Officers conducting surveillance on Bates saw him driving in the West Cedar Street area and engaging in narcotic transactions Thursday, police said.
Officers followed Bates to Ferris Avenue, where he entered a residence at 11 Ferris Ave., Apartment 3. A short time later, Bates left the apartment and entered his vehicle, police said.
Teams moved in to arrest Bates, however, he resisted and after a struggle, was taken into custody, police said.
Bates was found to be possession of 100 bags of heroin packaged for street distribution, police said. An additional 14 bags of heroin were located in his vehicle, police said.
Based on the investigation, Special Services Investigators secured a search warrant for the apartment on Ferris Avenue.Investigators executed the search warrant and recovered a “half-brick,” which consisted of 500 bags of heroin in one intact package, police said.
The packaging was consistent with the heroin recovered from Bates earlier, police said.
An adult and child were also located within the residence, police said. The heroin was found in a laundry bag that was located on the floor in the living room, along toys and other personal items and was easily accessible to the child.
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