NAUGATUCK — Police arrested a 29-year old borough man after they found an illegal and loaded handgun in a motor vehicle stop.
Naugatuck police pulled over Aric Small-Rivera, who was driving a 2013 Mercedes Benz SUV, due to a series of motor vehicle violations on Friday around 5 p.m. After Rivera and his female passenger exited the vehicle, police found a loaded Springfield XD 9mm handgun without a serial number under the driver seat, according to a police press release.
Small-Rivera had no active pistol permit and was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, illegal possession weapon in motor vehicle, illegal alteration of firearm identities, operating motor vehicle while registration is suspended, failure to comply with window tinting requirement and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
Small-Rivera was released after posting a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
The origins of this firearm remain under investigation, police say.
The Naugatuck Police Department will continue their efforts to remove illegal firearms from the streets of the community, the press release states.
