Warrant Outlines Taser Deployment On Armed Felon, Gun Seizure In Glastonbury

GLASTONBURY, CT — Glastonbury police have made a sizable firearms arrest after discovering an arsenal in a local home.

Police on Monday released details of the June 6 incident after serving a warrant Monday.

According to an incident report, at 9:57 a.m. that day, the GPD received a welfare check request from a residence on Manchester Road, specifically about the "behavior" of a resident of the address.

Once at the home, officers were met by an occupant who urgently requested them inside, according to an incident report. Once in the home, officers observed firearms and suspected narcotics in plain view, according to an incident report.

Officers then encountered 39-year-old Benjamin Richard, of Glastonbury, who was in close proximity to the guns and reached for his waistband after receiving repeated verbal commands to surrender, according to an incident report.

An officer then deployed a department-issued Taser and Richard was taken into custody after a brief struggle, according to an incident report. Officers recovered a handgun from Richard during his arrest, according to an incident report.

Richard was transported to an area hospital for evaluation while in police custody, according to an incident report.

As part of the investigation, Glastonbury Police obtained and executed a search and seizure warrant at the residence and confiscated firearms, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, suspected narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and items associated with the manufacture or assembly of firearms, according to an incident report.

Among the items seized were unserialized Polymer80-style handguns, commonly referred to as “ghost guns,” a Remington 870 shotgun, loaded magazines, suspected methamphetamine, and Alprazolam pills.

Richard, who is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction, was arrested by warrant and
charged with the following offenses:

• Criminal possession of a pistol or revolver
• Possession of a firearm without a serial number
• Illegal Possession of a large-capacity magazine
• Possession of narcotics with the intent to sell
• The use of drug paraphernalia
• Possession of controlled substance
• Interfering with an officer

Richard was arrested by warrant and presented in Manchester Superior Court on Monday while being held on a $1 million bond.

The case is considered an active and ongoing investigation. police said.