Massive Cache Of Weapons Seized In Orange County

WAWAYANDA, NY — A large cache of weapons and ammunition — including two AK 47-style rifles and a bump stock — were seized in the Town of Wawayanda after a two-week investigation. State Police said Norwell Therien, 39, of Middletown, illegally possessed the weapons, along with marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Police executed a search warrant at a residence in Wawayanda and found a Glock 9mm, five assault rifles that included an Uzi with a 50-round magazine and a Calico 9mm rifle with a 100-round high-capacity magazine.

Two AK 47-style rifles were found along with a 100-round drum magazine and a bump stock that fit the rifles.

Additionally, police said they found 11 rifles that were illegally possessed, 32 high-capacity magazines that fit assault rifles and pistols, 1 pound of marijuana, a quantity of hallucinogenic mushrooms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

One of the rifles recovered was determined to be stolen from Rockland County.

Therien was charged with the following:

• Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony
• Five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, felonies
• Third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony
• Fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a felony
• Second-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a felony
• 11 counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, misdemeanors
• 32 counts of possession of a high-capacity ammunition feeding device, misdemeanors
• Endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor
• Seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor

Therien was arraigned in the Town of Wawayanda Court and sent to the Orange County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail or $300,000 bond.

State Police at Middletown were assisted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Main photo caption: Weapons seized by State Police. Photo credit: NYSP.