An ongoing investigation into alleged selling of drugs and alcohol to underage youth by Mark Yarish, 51, of Cherry Street has resulted in a third arrest of Yarish and six more felony charges against him, Darien police said.
Police also said that the latest charges involve sales of “marijuana, alcohol and an assortment of tobacco products to Darien juveniles as young as 12 years old.”
Photo from Darien PD
Arrest photo of Mark Yarish after charges were filed against him for a third time regarding alleged sales of illicit substances to minors.
Yarish was in the business of selling illicit substances to juveniles on an “almost daily basis” since last December, according to police.
He communicated with the teenagers with texts and phone calls, then he would deliver items at a substantial markup over his cost, police said.
Yarish has been arrested twice before (on July 24 and Sept. 1) in connection with sales of illicit substances to juveniles. Police investigating the case came up with more information over time, applied for more arrest warrants and got them approved.
“Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation and it involving numerous juvenile victims, Yarish was arrested twice previously […] as developments in the case were made,” the police announcement said.
According to a police announcement Friday evening, the latest application for an arrest warrant was approved on Friday, but by then Yarish was at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville.
Mohegan tribal police were contacted, and they looked for Yarish. At 2:30 p.m., Friday, they told Darien police they had found him. Darien police detectives went to the casino and took Yarish into custody.
Yarish was charged with six counts of risk of injury to a minor (a felony) and six counts of second-degree reckless endangerment (a misdemeanor). His bond was set at $250,000, which he did not immediately pay. As of about 8:30 p.m., he remained in jail in Darien Police Headquarters. The earliest available court hearing is Monday.
“The Department of Children and Families continues to be a part of this investigation and has been working with police to ensure the safety of the involved juveniles,” the police announcement said.