Teen Arrested on Drug Charge in the Durgin Block Garage

A local teen is facing a drug charge after officers allegedly catch him with marijuana.

Thomas Russell, 17, of Concord, was arrested at 7:25 p.m. on May 24, on a possession of controlled drugs charge.

Officers on bike patrol were checking the area for a report of a man in a gray hooded sweatshirt who reportedly was involved in thefts in parking garages, according to a Concord Police arrest report. The officers checked the Firehouse Block Garage and while looking over at the Durgin Block Parking Garage, thought they might be seeing a person fitting the description there.

The officers split up to cover the stairs and elevator while another officer rode up to the top floor of the garage. The subject, later identified as Russell, was reportedly standing near an elevator and looked surprised at seeing the officer approach him. Another subject was seen in the vestibule with a bag, laptop, and power cord, according to the officer.

Both the subjects appeared “nervous” the officer wrote, with Russell reportedly putting his hands in his pockets. Both denied doing anything wrong, according to the report.

The officer requested that Russell empty the contents of his pockets and allegedly revealed an ibuprofen bottle that had “a green and brown vegetative matter” in it that the officer believed was marijuana. Other officers also arrived at the scene and checked the area, and reportedly found two partially hand-rolled cigarettes by a trashcan in a puddle of water.

Russell was arrested and during a pat down, another partial cigarette was allegedly found in his front sweatshirt pocket.

Russell was released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail. He’s due in court on July 1.