According to a press release from the Connecticut State Police, on Saturday night, October 12, 2024, things took a wild turn on I-84 in West Hartford when a routine traffic stop uncovered some serious trouble. A Trooper from Troop H in Hartford was cruising along Route 9 when he spotted a black Dodge Ram pickup that just couldn’t stay in its lane. After following the truck onto I-84, the Trooper noticed it was swerving again and found that the vehicle’s insurance status was unconfirmed.

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Once another unit arrived, the Trooper turned on the lights and sirens, pulling the vehicle over near exit 41. The driver, later identified as 25-year-old Steven Yariel Igartua-Algarin from Bristol, complied and parked on the shoulder. The passenger, 29-year-old Jose Orlando Felix from New Britain, was also in the truck.

Upon making contact with the passengers, the Trooper noticed some red flags. Igartua-Algarin’s hands were reportedly trembling, and Felix seemed unusually evasive according to the report. When asked about weapons, police say Igartua-Algarin admitted to having a 9mm handgun tucked into his shorts, leading to his quick detention. A search revealed the firearm on him, and Felix was also cuffed after being asked to step out of the vehicle.

Authorities say the situation escalated when Igartua-Algarin mentioned there was a knife in the vehicle. The Trooper then called for a narcotics detection K9. When the K9 arrived, it alerted to both the vehicle and Igartua-Algarin himself. A subsequent search uncovered a loaded high-capacity magazine, digital scales, and suspected crack cocaine and fentanyl according to Connecticut State Police.

Felix didn’t escape unscathed either; cops say a search of his person revealed a firearm hidden in his sock, and it turned out he didn’t have a pistol permit. All items found were seized as evidence, and both men were taken to Troop H for processing.

Here are the charges both suspects face:

Steven Yariel Igartua-Algarin

CSP
CSP
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CGS 14-236: Failure to maintain lane
CGS 14-213b: Operation of a motor vehicle without insurance
CGS 21a-277(a)(1)(A): Possession with intent to sell narcotics
CGS 21a-279(a)(1): Possession of a controlled substance
CGS 21a-267(a) (x4): Use of drug paraphernalia
CGS 53-202w(b1): Possession of a large capacity magazine

Jose Orlando Felix

CSP
CSP
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CGS 21a-277(a)(1)(A): Possession with intent to sell narcotics
CGS 21a-279(a)(1): Possession of a controlled substance
CGS 21a-267(a) (x4): Use of drug paraphernalia
CGS 29-35(a)(1): Carrying a pistol without a permit
CGS 29-38: Illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle
CGS 29-33*: Illegal transfer of a firearm
CGS 53-202w(b1): Possession of a large capacity magazine

That is a lot of charges for a cruise around the block. I wonder if the neck tattoo still seems like a solid idea? I actually like the idea of a neck tattoo but once you go full heel, I feel like it's hard to comeback or at least to convince people you don't have a metric f-- ton of drugs in your car at all times.

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Igartua-Algarin has since been released on a $75,000 bond, while Felix was released on a $50,000 bond. Both are set to appear in Hartford Superior Court on November 12, 2024.

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