Eastern Connecticut |
New London — When he started a sober living operation on Prest Street last summer, Clarence “Chuck” Montgomery could not have imagined the year ahead of him.
In April, then-resident Zachary Ramsdell died in the kitchen of 47 Prest St., a heroin overdose the cause. In May, business partner Daryl McGraw was charged with disorderly conduct and left his role with the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. One tenant is going through the eviction process, a procedure Montgomery wasn’t aware he needed to follow until recently. And the future of the homes at 42 and 47 Prest St. is up in the air. “I was just trying to do something that really helps these guys get from point A to B,” Montgomery said of the homes, which aimed to help recently incarcerated men readjust to society. “I’m just a minister who used to be in the streets. Somebody looked out for me and I tried to offer that same thing to these guys.” “Was it a perfect world?” he continued. “Well, I’m finding out that it wasn’t.” In New London, an estimated 35 sober houses exist. City officials have proposed an ordinance that would allow for inspection of the homes, but for now, many operate under the radar. At least seven people have died in New London sober homes since 2014. The beginning Christina Bliven, who has children with McGraw, owns the home at 42 Prest St. She said she gave use of it as an “in-kind donation” when she learned what Montgomery and McGraw were trying to do. Wanting to create a two-tier program, Montgomery said he began renting the house at 47 Prest St. from owner Jakub Micengendler when it opened up last summer. In a nutshell, Montgomery hoped men would come from prison or drug rehabilitation programs to 47 Prest St., where they would attend meetings, find jobs and stay sober. The men who showed promise could graduate to 42 Prest St., where they would have a bit more freedom. He called the operation the Friendship House. Montgomery said he and McGraw hammered out a contract before opening the homes for business. Among other things, the contract says the homes have zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use and that residents can be asked to leave for any reason. The contract also informs signees that their belongings will be donated to charity if they fail to remove them within 48 hours of being asked to leave. Speaking by phone earlier this month, Montgomery said the pair didn’t consult a lawyer when crafting the contract. As is true of most sober home operators, they also didn’t reach out to local or state officials. New London zoning regulations don’t address sober living situations. The fire department only inspects rooming houses, or homes with seven or more unrelated occupants. And the state isn’t involved because the homes don’t provide addiction treatment. “There is no blueprint,” Montgomery said, noting that he was in line to get both homes certified with the nonprofit Community Speaks Out. “But even (certification), does that mean all this other stuff is not going to happen? It’s happening everywhere. The world is still trying to figure this out.” Read more at https://www.theday.com/policefirecourts/20180526/rise-and-fall-of-new-london-sober-living-operation.
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ABOUTA selection of stories I wrote as a breaking news and police reporter for The Day in New London, Conn. Archives
July 2019
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