3 Convicted Felons Arrested On Gun Charges: Meriden Police

MERIDEN, CT — Three men, who are all convicted felons, were arrested on gun charges late Friday night in Meriden, according to police.

Police responded around 11:30 p.m. on May 24 to the 200 block of Grove Street on the report of a fight involving at least one gun, according to Sgt. Michael Boothroyd.

Boothroyd said Meriden police dispatchers received multiple calls reporting the fight, and a description of one of the men who reportedly dropped a gun.

Arriving officers saw two men outside of a vehicle, and Boothroyd said as more officers arrived, the two men were seen with getting into the vehicle with another man.

Officers contacted the three men, who Boothroyd said admitted to an argument where they were trying to calm the driver down before police arrived.

Boothroyd said one of the men was identified as James Kyle Hill, of Hamden, who had an active arrest warrant for failing to register as a sex offender.

“Once James was taken into police custody, the other males were told to exit the vehicle for a weapons pat down as the investigation continued,” Boothroyd wrote in a news release. “It should be noted that officers noticed that one of the occupants of the vehicle matched the description of the male with the firearm when initially reported.”

While the other two men were getting out of the vehicle, Boothroyd said a gun was found “in plain view” partially under the front passenger seat.

At that time, the vehicle was searched and a second gun was found under the same seat, according to Boothroyd.

The other two men were identified as 33-year-old Ernest Harold of Hamden, and 26-year-old Jeremiah Galesky Perkins of Waterbury, according to Boothroyd.

Boothroyd said two fully loaded guns firearms were seized, and all three men were convicted felons with several previous narcotics and firearm charges. All three men were arrested and taken to Meriden Police Headquarters without incident, according to Boothroyd.

Hill was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, weapons in a vehicle, and illegal sale, delivery, or transfer of pistols and revolvers. He was held in lieu of a $700,000 bond.

Harold was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, weapons in a vehicle, and illegal sale, delivery or transfer of pistols and revolvers. He was held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.

Perkins was charged criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, weapons in a vehicle, and illegal sale, delivery, or transfer of pistols and revolvers. He was held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.