NORWICH — A judicial marshal was charged with possession and sale of narcotics last month after an investigation revealed drugs were being delivered daily to his unlocked car while he was working at Norwich Superior Court.
According to an arrest report from Norwich police, Adam E. Clarke, 36, of 19 Thermos Ave. in Norwich, was charged with sale of a controlled substance and two counts possession of a controlled substance on Dec. 15. Police said they seized 30 Adderall tablets, 1.8 grams of heroin and a bottle of methadone as well as Clarke's cellphone and vehicle.
According to the report, a judge authorized the interception of text messages for a phone being utilized by Joseph "Jo-Jo" Barros on Oct. 4. During the course of the investigation, multiple messages were exchanged between Barros and Clarke relating to the placement of drugs in Clarke's vehicle, police said.
Nearly every day during the investigation, Clarke would typically request that Barros place an amount of narcotics in his unlocked vehicle while it was parked on the second floor of the Water Street Parking Garage during work hours, the report said. Clarke would then leave his job as a judicial marshal at the Norwich court to retrieve the narcotics, police said.
Police said they learned Clarke was purchasing, distributing and using narcotics and would often use a second source named Jeffrey Robillard. Police said they then watched Clarke's vehicle while it was parked in the downtown garage.
On Dec. 15, police said, they observed Robillard drive into the garage and pull up alongside Clarke's vehicle. Robillard exited his car, entered Clarke's car and re-entered his own car, police said. After exiting the garage, police coordinated for Robillard to be pulled over by a marked cruiser on West Side Boulevard, where he was found to have an unmarked prescription bottle and he was charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Police said they then contacted Clarke and requested he meet officers at his vehicle.
"Clarke hung up his phone and did not exit the courthouse," the report said.
Detectives then entered the courthouse and accompanied Clarke to his car, at which time Clarke said he was an "addict" multiple times, police said.
Officials said they located narcotics and packaging materials in his vehicle.
Clarke was released on $10,000 and appeared in New London Superior Court on Jan. 11.