Man Allegedly Caught in Stamford with Heroin in Trunk

A 28-year-old Port Chester, NY, man was arrested in Stamford Monday after police officers received information the man was allegedly driving around with heroin in his vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, authorities announced Tuesday.

According to Lt. Tim Shaw, an off-duty police officer contacted Sgt. Kevin Keenan while Keenan was traveling in his personal vehicle and relayed information that Kenneth Carlos Romanello was suspected of carrying heroin in his vehicle.

As Keenan received a description of Romanello and the vehicle he was operating, Kennan allegedly happened to spot Romanello in his vicinity and began tailing him while calling to a uniformed patrol officer in a marked car to assist with the stop.

Another off-duty officer working an extra-duty shift who was listening to the developing situation and was aware of Romanello's movement's towards his location used his personal vehicle at the scene of the job to create a road block in front of Romanello. At that time, Keenan and the patrol unit both arrived on scene as well.

K-9 Unit Kronin and Sgt. Richard Phelan arrived on scene shortly thereafter and Kronin began to indicate to officers that there was allegedly drugs in the trunk of the vehicle.

Upon further investigation, police allegedly found a shoe box containing a scale, pipe, empty bags, a bag of rice used to adsorb moisture and mask scent and bags of a substance suspected to be heroin.

Further investigation with assistance from the Stamford Organized Crime and Narcotics Squad allegedly revealed the substance to be heroin. Fifteen bundles of ten folds of heroin each, with each fold being worth $20 on the street, meant police had allegedly recovered $3,000 worth of heroin.

Romanello's vehicle was seized due to its use transporting drugs. He was held on $100,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.He is facing charges of illegal possession of narcotics, sale of certain illegal drugs, operation of a drug factory and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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Other Arrests

Cesar Calderone-Arriola, 25, of Southfield Ave., was charged Tuesday morning with second-degree harassment and first-degree criminal trespass.

Joseph Allen Donnelly, 31, of Cove Rd., was charged Monday night with violation of probation.

Michael A. Merritt, 30,of Overhill St., was charged Monday evening with second-degree strangulation, disorderly conduct and third-degree assault.

Kadeem Kimoy Sadio, 22, of W. Broad St., was charged Monday afternoon with second-degree burglary, fourth-degree larceny and sixth-degree larceny.