WEST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) – A West Haven man has been arrested after police discovered a cache of drugs, firearms, and stolen property inside a room at the Econo Lodge Motel, which he was allegedly using as a base for drug distribution.
Alexander Vargas was taken into custody following an investigation into reports that a Hispanic man was exchanging drugs for money and stolen items. A search of the motel room revealed a significant amount of narcotics and weapons, including:
One M4 Carbine .22-style rifle
One silver Smith & Wesson .22-caliber handgun with 8 rounds
Six boxes of .22-caliber ammo (269 rounds total)
Four high-capacity magazines
207.9 grams of crack cocaine (valued at $20,790)
177 wax folds of heroin/fentanyl mix (valued at $1,770)
78 prescription pills not prescribed to Vargas
40 counterfeit fentanyl pills
Stolen merchandise, including candy, energy drinks, and clothing with tags
Vargas faces numerous charges, including:
Six counts of possession of a controlled substance
Operating a drug factory
Possession with intent to sell cocaine, narcotics, and non-narcotics
Illegal possession of an assault weapon
Four counts of illegal possession of large-capacity magazines
Two counts of criminal possession of a firearm
Illegally obtaining prescription pills
Multiple charges related to possession and sale under arrest warrants
Vargas was held on a $650,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court.
Also arrested were Nicole Dube and Shalia Russell. Dube was charged with possession of a controlled substance and operating a drug factory; she had warrants from four Connecticut towns. Russell had two outstanding warrants from Fairfield.
