Three guns, heroin seized in early morning arrest in Hartford

Police seized three guns and 28 bags of heroin from a parked car in Hartford early Saturday morning.

Officers were patrolling the 2900 block of Main Street in the city’s North End at about 2 a.m., when they found what looked like bags of heroin in plain view inside a parked car, according to a news release. Police waited for the driver to return to the car, which was parked behind a banquet hall, and then detained them.

Inside the car, officers found the heroin and firearms, one of which contained an extended magazine with 28 live rounds; another gun contained an extended magazine with 27 live rounds.

The three firearms add to the 123 guns police had seized so far this year, as of June 1.

The suspect, 26-year-old Nian Sturges Jr., of Harwich St., does not have a pistol permit.

Sturges was charged with three counts of possessing a pistol without a permit and weapon in a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of a high capacity magazine, and possession of narcotics.

Sturges is also facing several drug charges in connection with a December arrest in Hartford, according to court records. He’s pleaded guilty to those offenses, which include possession with intent to sell narcotics, and is scheduled to appear in court next July 1.

Rebecca Lurye can be reached at rlurye@courant.com.