State police have arrested a New Britain man and seized over 100 weapons after a months-long investigation.
The Connecticut State Police Firearms Trafficking Task Force started investigating 39-year-old Steven Gerent-Mastrianni, of New Britain, because authorities said he was believed to be manufacturing and selling illegal guns of various types.
Gerent-Mastrianni was arrested Tuesday after a 10 month-long investigation. He faces charges including firearms trafficking, sale of an assault weapon, possession of an assault weapon, illegal transfer of a long gun, sale of large-capacity magazines, possession of a machine gun, weapon in a motor vehicle, and illegal transfer of a manufactured firearm without a serial number (ghost gun).
Investigators said Gerent-Mastrianni was a pistol permit holder and was found carrying a "ghost" gun. He was processed and held on a $500,000 bond.
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Authorities said search warrants were executed at his house and in several of his vehicles after the arrest.
State police said they seized roughly 125 guns as well as firearm components capable of making firearms fully automatic.
They said the guns included multiple fully-automatic guns, semi-automatic guns, shotguns, pistols, pistols with threaded barrels, hundreds of high capacity magazines and 30,000 to 40,000 rounds of ammunition.
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According to investigators, a high-tech 3D printer with pistol lower receivers that appear to be made with the printer were seized. Phones, computers and flash drives near the printer were also seized.
State police said the Connecticut State Police Bomb Squad also safely disposed of three homemade explosive devices that were found in the home.
Several agencies and investigative units helped the Firearms Trafficking Task Force with the investigation including Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force, CSP Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force, CSP Electronics Surveillance Unit, CSP Bomb Squad, CSP Central District Major Crime Squad, New Britain Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
