Conn. Firefighter Arrested for Buying Drugs On Duty

MANCHESTER, Conn. -- Narcotics officers arrested an on-duty firefighter Monday after watching him make a suspected drug deal in the parking lot of a Main Street firehouse, according to a news release.

Joseph Litrico, 24, of 34 Evergreen St., was charged with possession of heroin, possession of suboxone, possession of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia within 1,500 feet of a school and possession of less than a half ounce of marijuana.

Litrico, an EMT/firefighter and son of Eighth Utilities District Fire Chief Paul Litrico, has been suspended without pay pending the results of an internal investigation and the court case, agency Commissioner Anthony Bilotta said Tuesday.

Police also arrested Kenneth Bowman, 26, of 66 South Buckboard Lane, Marlborough, on charges that included sale and possession of heroin and suboxone.

Officers with the East Central Narcotics Task Force were watching the parking lot of the Eighth Utilities District Fire Department on Main Street Monday morning after hearing that a firefighter named "Joe" might be selling or using drugs, the news release said. They also were watching for a blue Nissan Maxima that had been seen frequently in the firehouse parking lot.

At 11 a.m., the driver of the Maxima pulled into the parking lot along with one passenger. Litrico came out of the firehouse in uniform and completed "a quick hand-to-hand transaction with the driver," the release said.

Officers stopped the car, with Bowman at the wheel, a short distance away. A search of the vehicle turned up about five grams of heroin packaged in 11 bags, suboxone pills (used to treat opiate addictions), heroin packaging and other drug paraphernalia, the release said. The unidentified passenger was released with no criminal charges.

Returning to the fire station, officers spoke with Litrico, who "admitted to the incident and was taken into custody," the release said. Officers searched him and seized about 2 grams of heroin and about 50 bags that had contained heroin, the release said. They also searched Litrico's vehicle and found suboxone pills, more bags that had been used to package heroin, a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, the release said.

Copyright 2012 - The Hartford Courant, Conn.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service