Gun-Toting Pair Charged After Traffic Stop In Manchester

MANCHESTER, CT — Guns were confiscated during a traffic stop for a moving violation in Manchester Sunday, police said.

The incident took place at 3:13 a.m., police said.

At that time, a Manchester police officer on routine patrol initiated a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation in the area of 84 West Middle Turnpike, according to an incident report.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as 19-year-old Kevin Archer Jr. of Manchester, and the passenger was identified as 18-year-old Xavier Rodriguez, of Manchester.

During the course of the traffic stop, officers located a loaded firearm in Archer's waistband, as well as a second loaded firearm under the driver's seat, according to an incident report. A third loaded firearm was located inside Rodriguez’s backpack, according to an incident report.

All three firearms were equipped with illegal high-capacity extended magazines, containing 24 rounds, 20 rounds, and 16 rounds, respectively, and one of the guns was fitted with a "fully automatic modification switch," police said, thus allowing it to fire as a machine gun.

Archer was taken into custody and charged with the following offenses:

• Making an improper turn
• Illegal Possession of a qeapon in a motor vehicle (2 counts)
• Carrying a pistol without a permit (2 counts)
• Illegal possession of a large capacity magazine (2 counts)
• Failure to register a machine gun

Archer was held on a $500,000 bond and was to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Monday.

Rodriguez was taken into custody and charged with:

• Illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle
• Carrying a pistol without a permit
• Illegal possession of a large capacity magazine

Rodriguez was also held on a $500,000 bond and was to be arraigned Monday.