Laconia police charge Tilton felon with possession of loaded handgun

By GAIL OBER, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — A Tilton man has been charged with one count of being in possession of a firearm after a city police officer saw him in his car near Stark Street at 7:34 p.m. and knew there was a warrant for his arrest.

Police affidavits said Izaiah J. Conway, 19, of 957 Laconia Road in Tilton headed up Stark Street and was stopped just over the town line by a second city police officer.

He was arrested for an outstanding bench warrant issued by the Division of Probation and Parole on April 1 for failing to report his new address, for failing to allow the probation officer to enter his home after she learned where he was living, and for admitting that he used methamphetamine on March 8 and heroin on March 9.

Police said when Conway pulled over his car, he was parked halfway over the fog line and was alone, so police ordered that the car be towed.

While conducting a non-investigatory inventory search, the officer found a black backpack in the trunk. When he looked inside, he allegedly saw a pipe with burned residue and a black pouch. The officer seized the backpack so he could bring it to the police station and apply for a warrant to complete the search.

The inventorying officer also noticed the glove box "was jammed and zip-tied" shut. He said he was able to slightly pry open the glove box and noticed a black, textured item that appeared to be the grip of a handgun with a magazine inserted. Affidavits said Springfield Armory was stamped on the bottom of the gun.

Police told the tow company they were impounding the vehicle and arranged for it to be towed to the Laconia Police Department impound.

After getting a warrant, police found a .45 caliber Springfield Armory .45 that was loaded with a full clip and a bullet in the chamber. A second, loaded magazine was found in a tactical belt.

In the backpack, police found several needles, and some 1-inch by 1-inch clear plastic bags. He also found two small bags, one containing a substance that appeared to be heroin and the other containing a substance that appeared to be Suboxone.

After appearing before a 4th Circuit Court, Laconia Division judge Friday morning, Conway was held on $10,000 for the receiving stolen property and $5,000 for the parole/probation violations.

Conway, said police, had a prior felony drug conviction in December of 2015.