{news} Woman: Family helped son sustain heroin habit

[clifford thornton]

http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16896800&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6<http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16896800&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=161556&rfi=6>


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Woman: Family helped son sustain heroin habit 
By Jennifer Hoyt, Journal Inquirer
07/08/2006

ENFIELD - Karen Menard, a mother who was arrested Thursday on charges that she helped her son obtain heroin, told police that she and her parents were supporting her son's drug habit "because they care about him," according to a police affidavit.



All four family members were arrested Thursday after police entered their home at 18 Haynes St. with a search warrant. Police say they found 56 bags of heroin in the living room.


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Two sets of charges were filed against each defendant, one stemming from Thursday's search and the other from a search of the same home on May 25.

Karen Menard, 48, was charged with conspiracy to possess narcotics and two counts of aiding and encouraging the possession of narcotics.

She was released on $100,000 in non-surety bonds, meaning that she didn't have to post money or property with the court but will be charged that amount if she fails to appear in court when required.

Her son, James Menard, 25, was charged with operating a drug factory, two counts of possession of narcotics, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

After his arraignment Friday, he was being held in lieu of $50,000 in bonds at the Hartford Correctional Center, a court clerk said.

James Menard's grandparents, Edward Ambrosini, 74, and Alice Ambrosini, 73, were also arrested Thursday. Both were charged with two counts of aiding and encouraging the possession of narcotics. They were released on non-surety bonds and are scheduled to appear in court July 18.

When the police first searched the home on May 25, the only people present at first were the Ambrosinis, who own the home, Detective Gary Castle said in affidavits.

Alice Ambrosini told the police that Karen Menard was in Hartford at the time, where she had taken James Menard so that he could buy heroin, Castle wrote.

Another detective, who interviewed the Ambrosinis, reported that the couple didn't seem to "understand the seriousness of James' drug use," Castle wrote.

The detective reported that the Ambrosinis knew James was addicted and that they thought they were helping him by supplying him with drug money until he could "get in rehab," Castle added.

Alice also told police that her husband had sold off parts of his antique train collection so that James could buy drugs, Castle wrote.

While police were searching the home on May 25, Karen Menard arrived home alone, according to Castle. He quoted her as saying that she was returning from Hartford, where she had helped her son buy $200 worth of heroin.

Castle also quoted Karen Menard as saying that before she dropped her son off at a friend's home in East Windsor that day, he had sniffed two of the bags of heroin in her car. She said James Menard, who is her only child, "has a habit of 50 bags of heroin per day," Castle added.

During the arraignment of Karen Menard, Judge Howard Scheinblum said of the accusation that she had driven her son to Hartford to buy drugs: "If that's true, you are not a very good mother."

Bail Commissioner Paul Maselek said Karen Menard had no prior criminal record. James Menard has a criminal history that includes charges of larceny, breach of peace, and violations of probation, Maselek said. 

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©Journal Inquirer 2006 

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