Home Health Aid Charged with Dealing Heroin Out of Client's Woodbridge Home

July 20 Woodbridge police received a call about heavy vehicular traffic in and out of a home on Old Mill Road. Officer A.J. Cappiello pulled over one exiting car on Beecher Road from which a package had been thrown which later tested positive as heroin. Arrested were passengers Walter Zielanski, 65, of 60 Reyna Road in Hamden, and Stephen Liburd, 66, of 1101 Stillhill Road in Hamden.

Both Zielanski and Reyna cooperated with police and detailed a drug operation functioning out of the home on Old Mill Road in which a home health aid was allegedly dealing heroin out of the house where she was caring for an elderly patient who was unaware of the illegal activity.

Officer Cappiello stopped the aid for speeding as she left the home on Old Mill with her client in her car. Arrested was Ernestine Darden, 56, of 149 Young Street in New Haven. Darden was carrying two packages of heroin at that time, and cooperated with police, detailing where the rest of the drugs were kept in the client’s home.

Darden was charged with driving an unregistered motor vehicle, traveling unreasonably fast, illegal manufacturing and selling over one ounce, illegal manufacturing and distribution, possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics within 1,000 feet of a school. Darden posted $25,000 and was given a court date of Aug. 2.

Zielanski and Liburd were both charged with possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell within 1,500 feet of a school. Because of their cooperation with police, both were released on a promise to appear.

July 26 Woodbridge police responded to a complaint of an unwanted person on Manville Road. Arrested was Elizabeth Lassiter, 38, of 392 State Street in North Haven. Lassiter was charged with criminal trespass in the first degree, interfering with an officer and breach of peace. She posted a $1,200 bond and was given a court date of August 5.