Press Releases
10/29/2021
Vernon Men Plead Guilty to Charges in Firearm Theft at Stafford Pawn Shop
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Vernon, CT) – Matthew C. Gedansky, Tolland State’s Attorney, announced today that Damien Garcia, 35, Adam Miller, 30, Jonathan McEwen, 32, and Lawrence McEwen, 40, pleaded guilty in Rockville Superior Court to charges of Conspiracy to Stealing a Firearm for an incident that occurred at the Simon Says Pawn Shop located in Stafford on 9/14/2019.
After an extensive joint investigation with the Connecticut State Police, Vernon Police Department and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, officers were able to determine that Garcia, Miller, and the McEwen brothers conspired to steal seven handguns from the Simon Says Pawn Shop in Stafford, and executed that theft in the early morning hours of 9/14/2019. One firearm was recovered in Vernon. The investigation revealed that the remaining firearms were sold by the defendants to unknown persons in the city of Hartford. Despite an extensive investigation in cooperation with local, state and federal investigators, those firearms were not recovered.
Adam Miller entered his plea to Conspiracy to Commit Stealing a Firearm and was sentenced as part of a plea agreement with the State of Connecticut on 4/5/2021 to 36 months in prison.
Damien Garcia entered his plea to Theft of a Firearm and was sentenced as part of a plea agreement with the State of Connecticut on 9/9/2021 to 60 months in prison.
Jonathan McEwen entered his plea to Conspiracy to Commit Stealing a Firearm as part of a plea agreement with the State of Connecticut and was sentenced on 10/20/2021 to 42 months in prison.
Lawrence McEwen entered his plea to Conspiracy to Commit Stealing a Firearm as part of a plea agreement with the State of Connecticut and was sentenced on 10/29/2021 to 54 months in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Jaclyn Preville.