Windsor Locks Police Charge Man With Operating Illegal Pawn Shop, Money Laundering

The following information was provided by the Windsor Locks Police Department:

Windsor Locks Police have arrested and charged a Windsor man with various drug violations, money laundering and operating an illegal pawnshop.

On Monday morning, Yassir M. Bakr, 39, of Windsor turned himself into Windsor Locks Police based on the strength of an arrest warrant. Police have charged Bakr with the following violations:

• operating a precious metals business without a license;
• illegal possession of narcotics and intent to sell near a day care facility;
• failure to keep narcotics in its original container;
• fifth-degree larceny;
• sixth-degree larceny;
• first-degree money laundering; and
• operating a pawn shop without a license.

The charges are the results of an ongoing investigation into Bakr operating a pawn shop business out of a store front at 482 Spring St., Windsor Locks.

"The Windsor Locks Police Department Detective Division has worked diligently in pursuing this case and is to be commended," WL Police Chief Eric Osanitsch said in an e-mail, adding that "this type of illegal activity will be continually targeted in this community."

On Aug. 27, a search warrant was executed on Bakr's office space, which resulted in the seizure of numerous items, including jewelry, precious stones, cash, coins, brand new electric tools in store boxes, vacuum cleaners and other household goods.

A second search warrant was executed on the same day for two self-storage units that Bakr had been renting at Uncle Tom's Self Storage located on the Windsor Locks and Suffield town line of Route 75. Based on a search of the storage unit, police found and seized numerous other items including collectables, motorcycles and lawn equipment.

A third search warrant was executed on Aug. 29 on Bakr's personal vehicle that resulted in the seizure of other items of evidence.

The drug charges stem from the seizure of numerous prescription narcotics found in the businesses but that were not prescribed to Bakr. The larceny charges stem from Dyson vacuum cleaners reported stolen from area Home Depots and DVD players reported as stolen from area Wal-Mart stores.

Bakr was held on a $300,000 surety bond until his presentation in superior court later today.