Man Manufactured & Sold ‘Ghost Guns’ In CT: Meriden Police

MERIDEN, CT — A Meriden man is accused of manufacturing “ghost guns” and illegally selling them on the streets of Connecticut, according to police.

Jonathan Willette, 31, was arrested Wednesday after authorities executed a search and seizure warrant at his home in the 400 block of South Curtis Street in Meriden.

The arrest stems from a joint investigation between members of the Meriden Police Department’s Crime Suppression Unit and the Middletown Police Department’s Street Crime Unit that was launched this month into the illegal sale of guns in both cities.

Police said the investigation determined that Willette was manufacturing guns that were not stamped with serial numbers, as required by law, which “classifies these illegally manufactured firearms as ‘ghost guns.’”

On Wednesday, 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 served a search-and-seizure warrant at Willette’s home.

Police found 13 illegal guns, many of which were not stamped with serial numbers and were also converted to fully automatic weapons, according to a news release.

“Several drill presses, firearm molds, drilling bits, and a large amount of firearm parts were also located indicating Jonathan was manufacturing illegal firearms,” police wrote in the news release. “A large amount of fully loaded, high capacity, firearm magazines were located along with several drum magazines capable of holding 40-50 rounds of ammunition. Jonathan was also in possession of two different types of body armor.”

Police also seized Willette’s vehicle which they believe was used to transport and sell firearms throughout Connecticut, according to the news release.

Willette is a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing, owning, or selling any type of firearm as well as possessing body armor, according to police.

Willette was charged with 13 counts of criminal possession of a firearm, eight counts of illegally manufacturing firearms, six counts of possession of high-capacity magazines, five counts of possession of an assault weapon, five counts of criminal possession of ammunition, two counts of 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. He was held in lieu of a $3 million bond.

“We would like to thank our law enforcement partners who were involved in this investigation, specifically the Middletown Street Crimes Unit, Postal Task Force, and the ATF,” Meriden police wrote in a news release. “There is no doubt that the collaborative efforts of these agencies working together prevented future violence from occurring as well as prevented illegal firearms from being sold on the streets.”