Accomplice To Murder Parolee Caught Up In Stolen Gun Flap

CONCORD, NH — A local man who served nearly 17 years in prison after the death of an Epsom Police officer is in more trouble with the law after allegedly participating in a stolen gun sale about two months after being paroled in 2015, according to police and court documents. Kevin W. Paul, 39, of Hoit Road in Concord, was arrested at 1:43 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2018, for felon in possession of a dangerous weapon and receiving stolen property. Paul was convicted of armed robbery in November 1998, in Grafton County Superior Court as he stood by a friend who fatally shot Jeremy Charron, an Epsom Police officer, in August 1997.

Editor's Note: This post was derived from info supplied by the Concord Police Department and Concord District Court. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for New Hampshire’s Patch police reports.

Paul also shot at officers as he tried to escape the incident. In September 2015, he was paroled – but allegedly turned back to criminal activity.

According to a court affidavit last month, investigators believe that back in October 2015, Tyler Huckins, 19, and Jason Morgan, 45, were allegedly involved in a burglary on River Road in Weare in which they reportedly stole two firearms – a .45 Springfield handgun and a Walther P22 handgun – that were inside of a safe that was pried open. On the same day as the burglary, Huckins and Morgan allegedly texted Paul attempting to exchange drugs and money for some of the stolen items, including the Springfield, the affidavit alleged.

Huckins, Morgan, and Paul allegedly met on Stark Highway in Weare and discussed trading the gun for methamphetamine and cash.

“Morgan received partial payment of methamphetamine from Paul,” the affidavit alleged. “Morgan then left with Paul (and a woman) and headed to Manchester and then, Concord. Huckins left in his mother’s vehicle. Morgan would later exchange the stolen firearm for methamphetamine and case with Kevin Paul.”

Paul reportedly went home to Rumford Street on Oct. 24, 2015, allegedly in possession of the stolen firearm. Since he is a convicted felon, he is forbidden to possess a firearm.

“Paul also knew that the firearm was stolen,” the detective alleged, due to other witness statements.

Paul and others allegedly drove to the Londonderry bus depot to meet with a man from Boston for “a prearrangement meeting” to “exchange the stolen firearm for methamphetamine,” about an ounce, according to the affidavit. During the meeting, while all involved were driving in a vehicle on I-93, an exchange was allegedly made. The man was then reportedly brought back to the bus depot and allegedly left the state with the stolen Springfield. The others returned to Concord and allegedly cut the methamphetamine into smaller baggies.

“Paul sold the drugs around the Concord, Franklin, Hillsboro, and Tilton areas,” the detective alleged.

On Nov. 5, 2015, the Concord detective met with Hillsboro, Henniker, and Weare Police after they raided Huckins’ home on West Main street in Hillsboro. After the search warrant was issued, Huckins was charged with receiving stolen property and reportedly spoke with the Concord detective. During the interview, he allegedly copped to the Weare burglary involving the stolen guns, Morgan’s allegedly role – he was a houseguest of Tyler’s, the affidavit stated – as well as Paul’s alleged role in purchasing the guns. A month later, he was arrested on a warrant out of Henniker for burglary, too, according to Hillsboro Police.

“Huckins said that he heard that Paul sends the firearms to (another person) in Boston to sell down there for drugs and money,” the affidavit alleged.

After the raid in Hillsboro, the detective began investigating Huckins’ claims about the case and came across a picture on Facebook of Paul and a woman hugging next to a vehicle that Huckins had described Paul using. He ran a check on the vehicle and a relative owned a similar vehicle, the report stated. He also confirmed information from Boston Police. The detective worked with other police in New Hampshire as well as the Mass. State Police Fugitive Apprehension team and they were able to local Paul inside a motel in Roxbury, MA. He was picked up on firearms, armed career criminal, and parole violation warrants.

About a week later, the detective continued to interview witnesses in order to build a case against Paul and his associates including data evidence and interviews. He also reached out to the bus company to check on confirmations of travel and purchased tickets.

One of the interviews was in the Middleton County Jail in Middleton, MA with Morgan, according to the affidavit. He was arrested by Merrimac MA Police in December 2015, on a burglary charge. He was also previously charged with burglary in Rochester back in 2008, according to Fosters.com.

Morgan allegedly confirmed that he and Huckins had burglarized the home in Weare and then spoke about meeting with Paul.

“Morgan tried to separate himself from the gun exchange for money/drugs, at first,” the detective alleged.

When he reiterated what he had already heard from other witnesses, “Morgan then looked at me and said something to the effect of, ‘If I give this all up now, what do I get?’”

The detective said he couldn’t promise anything – “and Morgan did not seem to like that answer” – and then allegedly denied that he saw the firearm at the meeting. He did allegedly admit to leaving in the same vehicle as Paul and a woman and that “they smoked methamphetamine together,” the detective alleged.

Paul’s cellphone, according to the affidavit, was seized after being arrested in Roxbury and Weare Police requested – and received – a search warrant for it. According to the affidavit, there were numerous calls to witnesses, others, and a Google map search of the meeting location on Stark Highway. The detective concluded that Paul’s cellphone calls, data, code words, and information from the witnesses corroborated the meeting between Morgan and him for the alleged gun-for-drugs exchange.

“After analyzing Paul’s phone and messages, calls, etc., I noted that there were numerous texts in regards to selling drugs, collecting drug debts through threats of physical force, and intimidation,” the detective alleged.

The affidavit was issued in late February 2016, and last month, Paul was arrested by Concord Police for the felon in possession and stolen property charges.

Image via NH DOC.