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Trio Nabbed After Probe Of Prostitution, Drug Activity

Two men have been charged with drug offenses and a woman with prostitution after a lengthy investigation into illegal activity in an area neighborhood.

Bianca Garnett and Rhonel Russell.

Bianca Garnett and Rhonel Russell.

Photo Credit: Fairfield Police

During the months of April and May, Fairfield Police received several reports from concerned residents of alleged illegal drug and prostitution activity at a home on Rosemere Avenue.

Officers began to investigate the home of 28-year-old Bianca Garnett, of Fairfield, and through the investigation, it was determined that she had been involved in prostitution out of her home and multiple hand-to-hand drug transactions, according to Fairfield Police Chief Christopher Lyddy.

On Wednesday, May 21 at approximately 9:45 p.m., members of the Fairfield Police Quality of Life Unit were conducting surveillance of Garnett’s home when they observed what they believed was a hand-to-hand drug transaction between Garnett and Rhonell Russell, 39, of Bridgeport, according to Lyddy.

Russell was a passenger in a vehicle and officers followed the vehicle after leaving Garnett’s house. Officers then observed the driver drive in the middle of both travel lanes on Park Avenue and a traffic stop was initiated, Lyddy said.

Before the driver pulled over, officers observed Russell making suspicious movements in the front passenger’s seat of the car, said Lyddy. 

Once the driver pulled over, Russell was detained for officer safety because of his suspicious movements and because he was being uncooperative with officers, according to Lyddy. 

While being detained, a pill bottle fell onto the ground from Russell's waistband. Inside the pill bottle were several small baggies containing crack cocaine, PCP, heroin and marijuana, Lyddy said.

Russell was subsequently placed under arrest and the driver was cited for failure to drive right, said Lyddy.

Throughout the investigation, officers observed and received reports from neighbors about several male visitors to Garnett's home at all hours of the day and night, Lyddy said.

Through the continued investigation, on Thursday, May 28, the Fairfield Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Garnett for prostitution.

While officers were conducting the warrant,  Milton Laws, 41, of Bridgeport, was visiting Garnett's home. 

In a search of Laws, he was found to have one ecstasy pill among his possessions and was placed under arrest, Lyddy said. Garnett was also placed under arrest at that time.

Garnett was charged with prostitution.

Russell was charged with:

  • Possession with intent to sell narcotics (crack cocaine)
  • Possession of a controlled substance/narcotic (crack cocaine and Heroin)
  • Possession with intent to sell a hallucinogen (PCP)
  • Possession of a hallucinogen (PCP)

Laws was charged with possession of a hallucinogenic substance (ecstasy).

“We want to thank the concerned residents who reached out about this illegal activity going on in their neighborhood,” Lyddy said. “Thanks to the extensive and thorough investigation by our officers, particularly the Quality of Life Unit, we were able to put a stop the prostitution and drug dealing going on in that area.”

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