Enfield Teen Caught With Stolen Firearm

ENFIELD, CT — A teenager whose home in southern Enfield had been struck by gunshots last fall was arrested Thursday evening on weapons and other charges.

Anthony Paris Espinosa, 18, was charged with having weapons in a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm without a permit, possession of stolen property and three motor vehicle infractions.

Bond was set at $50,000, and he was slated to be arraigned Friday in Enfield Superior Court.

Police Chief Carl Sferrazza said a vehicle with a broken tail light was observed by an officer traveling on Raffia Road near Post Office Road around 5:45 p.m. Friday. During the course of a traffic stop, the officer approached the vehicle and detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the car.

Espinosa claimed he and a friend were just returning from a store, and no drugs or weapons were inside the car. However, an officer observed two live rounds on the rear seat, one from a 9mm Luger and another from a .380 caliber Winchester, Sferrazza said.

With probable cause to search the vehicle, police shone a light into the trunk and saw the butt of a gun inside a sneaker. The gun turned out to be a .38 Smith & Wesson revolver, which had been reported stolen in New York in July 2016, Sferrazza said.

Espinosa told police the gun "is not for offense, it's for defense," according to a police report.

In late October, the house at which Espinosa resides was fired upon by individuals in a car, which fled the scene prior to police arrival and wound up striking two officers before an exchange of gunfire in nearby Springfield, Mass.