Vernon police arrested a Hartford man they said was wearing a bullet proof vest and had drugs as well as a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition on him.
Police began investigating when Rockville Community Police Officer Thomas Van Tasel noticed six men loitering in and around a car in the parking area on Becker Place at 9:53 p.m. on Friday after police received a tip of possible drug activity in the area.
As the officer approached the men, he heard a bottle break.
Police said Genario Jones Jr., 23, of Hartford, was standing next to a freshly lit marijuana cigarette and said it was his.
As police tried to search him, Jones resisted and an officer felt a bullet proof vest under Jones’ sweatshirt.
Several officers assisted in getting control of Jones, handcuffed him, and found a Beretta .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol in his back pocket, police said.
He also had a fully loaded magazine for the gun in his front pocket, a one loose bullet and a sandwich bag with 2.8 grams of crack cocaine, according to police.
Police searched the car and found two resealable bags holding 11.2g of marijuana.
Jones was charged with carrying a gun without a permit, several drug possession charges, interfering with police and two counts of criminal possession of a firearm.
His bond was set at $250,000 and he was held over the weekend at the Vernon police department. Jones will appear at Rockville Superior Court today.
Freddie Williams 3rd, 20, of Rockville, had a bottle of alcohol in his pants pocket and was also in possession of marijuana, according to police. He was later issued an infraction for possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana and possession of alcohol by a minor.
Rafael Baez, 20, of Rockville, was issued an infraction for possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana.
