Cops: Drug Dealer Busted After Running Out of Gas in Stamford

On Wednesday afternoon, Stamford Police Officers Kevin Lynch and Peter Malanga were traveling along East Main Street when they witnessed a man running back and forth between lanes of traffic in the 700 block, Sgt. Rich Gasparino said Thursday.

Gasparino said the officers observed the man indecisively traveling between lanes of traffic and a black Nissan Pathfinder parked in the median with its hazards on at approximately 2 p.m. The officers pulled over and began interviewing the suspect, according to Gasparino.

According to the sergeant, the subject, identified as Mariano Corrente, 40, of Robinson Drive, was acting nervous and repeatedly placed his hands inside his front sweatshirt pocket, which officers told him to stop doing.

Gasparino said Corrente continued to attempt to put his hands in his pocket, so he was searched for weapons for the officers safety. They allegedly discovered 7 folds of heroin. Corrente was then placed in cuffs and searched more extensively, leading police to discover 9 bundles of heroin weighing approximately 28.9 grams, and a plastic bag with 11 yellow Xanax pills, Gasparino said.

One bundle is approximately 10 folds of heroin. The total value of that much heroin is approximately $2,000. The Xanax pills have a street value of $330.

Gasparino said Corrente was traveling back and forth to the vehicle because he'd run out of gas but wasn't sure what to do as he had a large amount of narcotics on him.

Corrente was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of a controlled substance, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. He was issued a $500 bond.

Gasparino said the narcotics division assisted the officers with the arrest.