Hartford resident Bruce Michaud, age 36, was arrested on drug possession and firearm charges following an investigation into his alleged distribution of narcotics at the Bradley Inn in Windsor Locks at 5 Ella Grasso Tnpk., Windsor Locks Police announced on Friday, July 14.
According to the department, Michaud, who has an extensive criminal history of narcotics sale, assault, and criminal possession of firearms and also had an active arrest warrant for first-degree escape from state police, was under investigation for distributing fentanyl at the inn.
On the day Michaud was taken into custody, a vehicle that was known to be associated with him was seen on upper Blue Hills Avenue in Hartford by a Windsor Locks officer assigned to the Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force.
The officer then immediately recognized Michaud in the front passenger seat and made contact with Windsor Locks detectives, a Windsor Locks marked unit, and Hartford Police.
The unmarked DEA unit then closely followed the vehicle Michaud was traveling in, keeping it in sight until all other units could converge on it. This tactical situation had to be considered because Michaud was considered armed and dangerous, according to Windsor Locks Police.
As the vehicle containing Michaud kept driving, unaware that they were being tailed by authorities, it approached the intersection of Park Street and Lafayette Street in Hartford. At this point, all units took their coordinated positions and stopped the vehicle while managing to block it in, preventing it from driving away.
Officers soon took Michaud into custody. Once he was removed from the vehicle, police noticed a holstered pistol on the floor behind the front seat as well as over 300 bags of packaged fentanyl and 4 ounces of suspected cocaine, authorities said.
Michaud was later charged with:
- Two counts of possession of a controlled substance;
- Two counts of possession with intent to sell;
- Criminal possession of a firearm;
- Theft of a firearm;
- Weapons in a motor vehicle;
- Possessing a pistol without a permit.
After his arrest, Michaud, who was already on parole, was remanded into custody. He is being held at Hartford Correctional Center on a $1 million bond.
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