Meriden police arrested a local man and charged him with manufacturing ghost guns after a joint investigation with Middletown police.
Members of the Meriden Police Department’s Crime Suppression Unit and the Middletown Police Department’s Street Crime Unit initiated a joint investigation into the illegal sale of firearms in June. During the investigation, police allege, Jonathan Willette was found to be manufacturing illegal firearms, or ghost guns, which were then sold throughout the state, police said.
Members of the Meriden Police Departments Special Weapons and Tactics Team, Meriden Crime Suppression Unit, Middletown Street Crimes Unit, Postal Task Force, and the ATF initiated a search warrant Thursday at Willette’s residence on South Curtis Street in Meriden, police said.
According to police, the search produced 13 illegal firearms, many of which were not stamped with serial numbers and were converted to fully automatic weapons. Several drill presses, firearm molds, drilling bits and a large number of firearm parts were also located, police said.
A large amount of high-capacity firearm magazines were located along with several drum magazines capable of holding 40-50 rounds of ammunition, police said. Willette also was in possession of two different types of body armor, police said. Police also seized Willette’s vehicle, which they allege was used to transport and sell firearms.
Willette is a convicted felon, which makes him prohibited from possessing, owning, or selling any type of firearm as well as from possessing body armor, police said.
Police said Willette was taken to police headquarters and charged with five counts of possession of an assault weapon, eight counts of illegally manufacturing firearms, 13 counts of criminal possession of a firearm, six counts of possession of a high capacity magazine, five counts of criminal possession of ammunition, possession of body armor by a convicted felon, illegal possession of a silencer, weapons in a motor vehicle, interfering with police, risk of injury to a minor and second-degree reckless endangerment.
Willette is being held in lieu of $3 million bail.
