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Darien Police say they observed a green Jaguar sedan missing its front license plate traveling westbound on Post Road on Tuesday, Oct. 29 around 3:30 p.m.
Officers initiated a traffic stop after running a check of the vehicle’s rear plate and allegedly determining that there was no motor vehicle record associated with it.
During questioning, the driver, identified as Leah Chaparro, 22, of Hartford, allegedly told police that the vehicle belonged to a friend who hadn’t registered it yet.
Police say the vehicle was uninsured and that the plate had come from the person the vehicle was purchased from.
When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle, the passenger, identified as Aaron Atwater, 21, of Stamford, allegedly showed police a medical marijuana ID and container.
Officers then initiated a stiff test by K9 “Kenny” that allegedly indicated the presence of narcotics.
The vehicle was searched, and a scale with marijuana residue on it, a marijuana grinder and five individually packaged quantities of marijuana were seized, police say.
Chaparro admitted these items belonged to her, and a further inspection of Atwater’s medical marijuana container revealed multiple Xanax pills hidden underneath the marijuana, according to police.
Chaparro and Atwater were arrested transported to headquarters, where a check of Chaparro’s records revealed that she had an active bench warrant from Bridgeport Superior Court for failing to appear on Friday, March 15 for a breach of peace incident, police say.
Chaparro was charged with the following:
- Possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana
- Sale of marijuana
- Drug paraphernalia
- Operating a motor vehicle without a permit
- Second-degree failure to appear (warrant)
Chaparro was held on a $5,000 court-set bond in regards to the warrant and an additional $5,000 for the other charges. She was transported to court on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Atwater was charged with possession of a controlled substance and failure to properly store narcotics. He was released on a written promise to appear and is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
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