Basketball coach forced to resign amid heroin possession charge in Stamford

STAMFORD — A former Westhill High School assistant basketball coach was forced to resign from his coaching job at New Canaan High School following his arrest over the weekend for alleged possession of 20 bags of heroin.

Three days after the arrest by Stamford police, Jose Amor stepped down and as of Monday morning he was no longer employed by the New Canaan school system as assistant basketball coach, Athletic Director Jay Egan said in a statement.

“Mr. Amor passed the mandatory background check necessary for employment in the New Canaan Public Schools,” Egan said. “The New Canaan Public Schools has an extensive background check for all employees and will continue to use this system for all future hires.”

Amor, 30, of Davenport Drive, was charged with possession of narcotics with intent to sell, among other infractions. The events come nearly two years following another arrest after Amor allegedly warned one of his basketball players that the boy was a suspect in a shooting at a Stamford hotel.

Amor’s weekend arrest was the result of someone reporting a suspicious person at the West Avenue Shell station on Friday night, according to Capt. Diedrich Hohn.

When officers arrived at the scene they found Amor passed out behind the wheel of his car with his driver’s side door open. After waking him, he was interviewed outside his car, Hohn said.

Officers noticed a partially opened container on the passenger seat, which appeared to have possible contraband inside. An officer removed the container and found 20 folds of heroin, Hohn said.

While Amor was being booked, police found several tablets of Percocet — a pain medication made from oxycodone and acetaminophen — on him as well as a pill grinder and a straw with power residue on it, Hohn said. He was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and was released after posting a $10,000 court appearance bond.

Amor’s attorney Mark Sherman declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but noted that the problem of addiction will be part of the defense.

“Sadly this opiate epidemic does not discriminate in its reach and impact,” Sherman said.

In June of 2016 following a shooting in the parking lot of La Quinta Inn on Stamford’s West Side, Amor’s career as an assistant coach was derailed after he was accused of tipping off the player.

Police said that as a result of the alleged tip-off, the Westhill basketball player disposed of the gun and the case was never closed.

In that case, Amor was charged with hindering prosecution, but Sherman negotiated the charge down to interfering with police. In March 2017 Amor completed a short probationary program for first-time offenders and the lesser charge was dismissed.

Hohn, who was head of the detective bureau at the time when Amor was charged, said he was unaware of drugs playing any part in the earlier investigation that resulted in the hindering charge.

“It was not apparent at that time he had a problem,” Hohn” said. “After his arrest this weekend, it is obvious he is struggling with an addiction problem.”