CRIME SOLVERS TIPLINE:  860-527-TIPS

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:  Tuesday, April 1, 2008

HARTFORD POLICE EXECUTE FOUR SEARCH WARRANTS AND MAKE
ELEVEN ARRESTS DURING INVESTIGATION OF ILLEGAL DRUG TRAFFICKING
ON VINE STREET

(HARTFORD) -  ON FRIDAY, MARCH 29^TH AT 11:00 P.M. THE HARTFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT EXECUTED FOUR SEARCH WARRANTS SIMULTANEOUSLY AT 42,44,46 AND 48 VINE STREET THAT RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF ELEVEN INDIVIDUALS KNOWN TO BE INVOLVED IN THE TRAFFICKING OF ILLEGAL NARCOTICS THAT PERPETRATE DRUG DRIVEN VIOLENCE.       

YOU MAY ALL RECALL ON MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2008, A FATAL SHOOTING OCCURRED AT 42-44 VINE STREET.  THE VICTIM, GUILLERMO MALAVE, 22, OF ROCKVILLE, DIED OF MULTIPLE GUNSHOT WOUNDS AT ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 P.M. THAT NIGHT.

THIS OPERATION WAS IN RESPONSE TO THIS VIOLENCE AND AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION OF NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING FROM SEVERAL APARTMENTS ON LOWER VINE STREET BY THE HPD’S VICE AND NARCOTICS DIVISION.

DUE TO THE HIGH RISK NATURE OF SERVING THESE WARRANTS AND THE LOGISTICS OF SERVING FOUR WARRANTS SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE HPD’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM WAS ASSISTED BY THE WEST HARTFORD POLICE SWAT TEAM AND THE CENTRAL REGION EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM.  A TOTAL OF 43 SWAT PERSONNEL WERE UTILIZED.

ENTRY WAS SECURED AND ARRESTS OF THE 11 TARGETED INDIVIDUALS WERE MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURY.

"LET THIS BE A MESSAGE THAT THE HARTFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL DRUG TRAFFICKING AND DRUG DRIVEN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY – AND THEY SHOULD KNOW THIS IS THE TYPE OF RESPONSE THEY CAN EXPECT BY THE HPD, " SAID HARTFORD POLICE CHIEF DARYL K. ROBERTS.

BELOW IS A LISTING OF THE ELEVEN ARRESTEES.  MUGSHOTS ARE LISTED BELOW. 

Mugshots (With correct spelling of names):  Latasha Drummond, Lashae Young, Joshua Easterling, Joselyn Munoz, Alexa Coleman, Josaun Monuz, Rogeau Collins, and Ashley Whitehead.  No photo available for Mark Shazel.

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Contact:   Nancy Mulroy, Public Information Officer, Hartford Police Department,  (860) 757-4021
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