West Haven man charged with inciting a riot during Meriden street takeover

A West Haven man accused of taking part in a street takeover last May in Meriden turned himself in on Thursday, according to State Police.

State police said they arrested Adalberto Oceguera, 19, after identifying him as one of the people responsible for inciting a crowd to surround and damage a Meriden police cruiser during a street takeover on May, 6 2023.

Oceguera is charged with first-degree riot, inciting to riot, interfering with a police officer, conspiracy to commit first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree breach of peace and unlawful assembly. He was released without bail and is scheduled to appear at Superior Court in Meriden March 19.

According to the warrant supporting Oceguera’s arrest, on May 6, 2023, a street takeover formed in the parking lot of the Lowe’s store on East Main Street and Meriden officers responded to the area.

A camera in one of the officer’s cruisers was recording as a group of 30 to 40 people surrounded his cruiser. The crowd shouted at the officer, shined flashlights and lasers at him, and pointed at him while making the the motions of pulling the trigger of a gun, the warrant states.

At one point while surrounding the cruiser, members of the crowd began jumping on its hood. One person was seen jumping on the hood holding what appeared to be a handgun, according to the warrant.

When police reviewed the video they noted that a man wearing green sweatpants, a blue sweatshirt and a black mask and carrying a Mexican flag was the first to run over and stand in front of the cruiser to block its path, according to the warrant. Once in place, the man waved others over and the cruiser quickly was surrounded, the warrant says.

The same man blocked the officer again when he attempted to drive away at another point in the confrontation, according to the warrant.

Through their investigation, state police located an Instagram account owned by Oceguera. In the biography section of the account he’d written, “dude with the flag,” and listed the vehicles he owns, according to the warrant.

State police found that vehicles listed in on the account matched Department of Motor Vehicles records for Oceguera.

In February, state police visited Oceguera at his home in West Haven to question him about his involvement in the Meriden street takeover and others. He admitted to having been at the Meriden takeover and identified himself in a still image as the person holding the Mexican flag, the warrant states.

Oceguera