Teen arrested on gun charges in Salisbury after traffic stop

Jun. 22—SALISBURY — A routine traffic stop Saturday morning led to local police removing an allegedly stolen handgun from the streets and the driver facing several firearms-related charges, according to Newburyport District Court records.

Nolan Weinacht, 18, of Ledge Court, Clinton, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, possessing ammunition without an FID, receiving stolen property of less than $1,200, improper storage of a firearm, unlawful possession of fireworks, person under 21 in possession of alcohol, unlawful marijuana possession, and several other charges.

Judge Allen Swan ordered him held on $7,500 cash bail and set his next court date for July 20.

A passenger in the car, 19-year-old Casey Turgeon of Hudson, was also arrested. He was charged with person under 21 in possession of alcohol, and having an open container of alcohol and marijuana in a motor vehicle.

Essex County prosecutor Michelle Belmonte had asked Swan to set bail at $10,000 on the new charges and order him held without bail for violating conditions of his release related to a Clinton District Court matter involving a car crash. Belmonte said the receiving stolen property charge could also be amended to possessing a stolen firearm offense.

Lobbying for cash bail, Belmonte detailed the early Saturday morning traffic stop that led to his arrest.

Salisbury police Officer Adrienne Costa noticed Weinacht pulling on to Elm Street about 2 a.m. without his headlights on and the back lights also off.

Costa pulled the vehicle over a few moments later and walked toward Weinacht's gray SUV.

As she was doing so, she noticed Weinacht reaching for his black backpack behind his seat. Fearing for her safety, she ordered him to put his hands where she could see them.

"Nolan stated that he was just 'grabbing my ID.' I immediately smelled the overwhelming odor of fresh marijuana emanating from the vehicle," Costa wrote in her report.

After handing the officer his driver's license, Weinacht said he was visiting a friends house in the area. By this time, Sgt. Keith Forget had arrived and was shining his flashlight inside the vehicle.

That allowed Costa to see a knife with a curved blade in the center console. She also spotted what looked like an explosive device but later identified as a firework in the open glove compartment and an open bottle of Corona beer. Both Weinacht and his 19-year-old passenger were ordered out of the SUV.

Based on finding the knife and the open bottle of beer, the officers searched the entire vehicle. Police found additional knives, and looked through Weinacht's backpack after hearing bottles clinking inside.

"He (Forget) then held up a firearm. The firearm was a small, black handgun," Costa wrote in her report.

Weinacht and Turgeon were handcuffed and an Amesbury K-9 unit called in to search the SUV for more fireworks and weapons. To help K-9 Meatball and his partner, Thomas Nichols, search the SUV, Costa and Forget removed additional knives, a blowtorch, more fireworks, fast-food bags, an empty beer can and a holster for the handgun.

"At this time dispatch notified Sgt. Forget and I that the firearm came back stolen," Costa wrote in her report, adding that the handgun was a Sig Sauer.

Meatball and Nichols did not find any more weapons or fireworks. In all, police confiscated 0.25 ounces of marijuana, 10 grams of marijuana extract, two boxes of marijuana vaping cartridges, four bottles of beer, opened and unopened cans of beer, fireworks, the Sig Sauer pistol, 10 9mm bullets inside a magazine, a bottle of Vodka and several knives.

Upon questioning both teens, Weinacht declined to comment without a lawyer.

Turgeon, however, admitted to smoking marijuana in an Elm Street parking lot shortly before the traffic stop, according to Costa's report.

Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.

Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.