2 charged with narcotics, weapons offenses after SWAT raid

LACONIA — The Beaman Street neighborhood just got a whole lot safer after the culmination of an 11-month-long investigation by local detectives resulting in charges against two individuals for narcotics and illegal firearms.

Timothy P. Theos, 58, of 24 Beaman St., and Joel Barlow Jr., 38, no fixed address, were taken into custody on Aug. 19.

Upon arriving on scene, regional SWAT and Strafford County SWAT helped safely remove residents from the two-unit building in order to execute their search warrants for evidence of an AK-47 rifle, a .45 caliber handgun, and controlled drugs.

Theos is being charged with 10 counts of being a felon in possession of dangerous weapons and two counts of receiving stolen property, namely the aforementioned firearms.

Barlow Jr. is charged with resisting arrest, as well as three electronic bench warrants for failure to appear.

“The subsequent search of the residence was intensive after they were taken into custody,” explained Police Chief Matthew Canfield. “During that search, multiple firearms were recovered from the residence, as well.”

Both men were slated for arraignment in Belknap Superior Court on Wednesday, after being lodged in Belknap County Jail, but their names didn’t appear on the docket given the ongoing jury trial of Hassan Sapry.

“It’s a very significant case with significant charges, which should make a dent into the illegal sales of drugs and narcotics in the city,” Canfield said. “I thank all of the neighbors for their cooperation. I think this operation will improve the quality of life in that neighborhood.”

The execution of the search warrant was funded in part by Operation Granite Shield, a statewide endeavor for drug enforcement efforts. The Laconia Police Department was also assisted by the Attorney General's Drug Task Force, members of the Gilford Police Department, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and regional SWAT teams.

As a result of Theos’ arrest, neighbors expressed their relief.

“Honestly it has been horrible having him and his cohorts on this street,” wrote Jesse Ganzel on a post about the raid in the Laconia is talking Facebook page.

The Laconia Daily Sun spoke with Ganzel about his experience living a few houses down from Theos.

"It's been an absolute nightmare ever since they moved in," he wrote via Facebook Messenger.

This isn’t Theos’ first brush with the law. In 2022, Theos was indicted on felony charges of domestic violence and assault, and domestic violence and criminal threatening with a deadly weapon. He was also indicted on three misdemeanor charges of domestic violence assault.

In 2009, his son, 18-year-old Justin L. Theos, was charged in connection with an assault and attempted stabbing of his father.