Meriden Man Sentenced For Manufacturing & Selling Guns: Officials

MERIDEN, CT — A Meriden man has been sentenced to serve eight years in prison in connection with manufacturing and selling guns, according to officials.

Jonathan Willette, 34, was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison, suspended after eight years served, followed by five years of probation, New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney John P. Doyle Jr. announced in a news release.

Willette pleaded guilty to one count of sale of a firearm, one count of manufacturing a firearm, one count of possession of an assault weapon, one count of criminal possession of a firearm, and one count of violation of probation.

On June 23, 2022, officers with the Meriden and Middletown police departments executed a search-and-seizure warrant at Willette’s home in Meriden after an investigation found he was manufacturing and selling firearms, according to officials.

“During the execution of the warrant, a number of firearms were located, including eight Polymer 80 brand firearms, five fully automatic firearms, and one AK-47 assault-style rifle,” officials wrote in a news release. “Investigators also located firearms manufacturing equipment, including drill presses, jigs, and ‘Glock switches,’ which, when installed, allow a semiautomatic firearm to fire as fully automatic.”

A subsequent search-and-seizure warrant was authorized for Willette’s cellphone, which officials said revealed that he was manufacturing, modifying, and selling firearms.

Willette had previously been convicted of a felony and therefore was unable to legally possess firearms.

The case was investigated by the Meriden Police Department’s Crime Suppression Unit and the Middletown Police Department’s Street Crime Unit, and was prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa R. Holmes, with the assistance of Supervisory Inspector Racheal Cain.

See also: Man Manufactured & Sold ‘Ghost Guns’ In CT: Meriden Police