Pair Arrested In Vernon In Stolen Gun Case

VERNON, CT — Two men have been arrested after a firearms-related incident in Vernon on Tuesday night. The case has a connection with guns stolen from a Stafford pawn shop, police said.

Police said that at they received a tip from an informant that two men — later identified as 37-year-old Lawrence McEwan of Vernon and 32-year-old Damien Garcia of Hartford — may have a stolen gun at a West Main Street apartment, according to a report.

Word from the informant was that Garcia, who already had a felony warrant on him for a burglary charge, had sold several stolen firearms already and wanted to sell another, according to a report.

At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, police encounterd both men, according to a report. They fled, police said.

Garcia surrendered after a few steps and surrendered, police said. McEwan was chased down and appeared to throw something during the pursiut, according to a report.

A silver Smith & Wesson pistol was later recovered, a report indicates.

He also tried to discard a capped hypodermic needle, later recovered in his pocket, according to a report.

It was reported stolen from the Simon Says Pawn Shop in Stafford on Monday, according to a report. Several other guns were stolen that day, police records show.

McEwan was charged with:

• Violation of state pistol permit requirements
• Sixth-degree larceny
• Criminal possession of a firearm
• Use of drug paraphernalia
• Interfering

His initial $500,000 bond was reduced to $50,000 at a Wednesday arraignment, a clerk at Rockville Superior Court said. He failed to post it and is in custody with a return date of Oct. 23, the clerk said.

Garcia was charged with:

• Third-degree burglary
• Sixth-degree larceny

His initial $100,000 was reduced to a promise to appear in court by the court Wednesday. He is due back before a judge on Oct. 9, a clerk at the courthouse said.