Months-long investigation leads to arrests at Hartford business known as ‘Hot Mammas’
By Rob Polansky
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HARTFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) — Eight people are under arrest tonight following a big drug bust in Hartford.
Police seized large amounts of marijuana, fentanyl and cocaine from a Franklin Avenue business.
The business was posing as a restaurant.
Last night police seized $500,000 worth of drugs.
From the outside, Hot Mammas advertises delicious food, and breakfast, lunch and dinner.
But inside was a different story.
Hartford Police released photos showing 145 pounds of marijuana and 160 bags of fentanyl piled up on tables.
Hartford Police Dept. Lt. Aaron Boisvert said, “it was a months long investigation. I don’t want to get into investigative secrets. But they were eyeing this place for quite a while.”
On Thursday night, a search warrant was conducted at 451 Franklin Avenue.
Police seized 14 grams of cocaine, hundreds of THC edibles and candy bars, two pounds of hallucinogenic mushrooms and 100 bottles of liquid THC.
Police also seized $30,000 in cash and four guns.
“They had everything there. They had firearms there which goes to show you a lot of our homicides and shootings are drug related so definitely a great grab by those guys,” said Boisvert.
Investigators believe the operators were charging a cover fee for people to inside the building and it was set up like a small shopping center.
Law enforcement have had issues at this building before.
451 Franklin Avenue used to be the Majestic Lounge.
A deadly shooting took place at the former night club back in February 2020, the Department of Consumer Protection later shut the club down.
As for this investigation, it’s far from over.
“There will be a lot of things happening. I mean if they have a liquor license, they’re going to be looking at that. Department of Revenue Services were in there yesterday so they’re going to be doing a parallel investigation into them,” said Boisvert.
Police say more charges are coming.
Police said they arrested:
Julio Fajardo, 28, of Bethel. Savannah Royce, 19, of Bondsville, MA. Parris Darden, 23, of Springfield, MA. Alfred Hammonds, 60, of Chester, PA. Jimmy Ball, 42, of Manchester. Sherrold Lee, 23, of Manchester. Brian Kreidler, 51, of Andover. Jonathan Handy, 46, of Dorchester, MA.
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