A alleged Large Apple ghost gun trafficker who turned his dwelling into “an unlawful weapons manufacturing facility” was arrested final week and indicted on 73 firearm associated expenses, prosecutors introduced Tuesday.
Martin Streich, 21 of Gravesend, Brooklyn is alleged to have manufactured and offered eight ghost weapons, together with two assault weapons, over the course of three months, in keeping with the Staten Island District Legal professional’s Workplace.
The NYPD and Homeland Safety Investigations launched a joint undercover dubbed ‘Operation Large Sky,’ after a confidential supply contacted a lead investigator with info on Streich, the Staten Island Advance reported.
As a part of ‘Operation Blue Sky,’ undercover investigators bought a number of firearms from Streich in each Brooklyn and Staten Island, in keeping with the outlet.
Ghost weapons are sometimes dangerously untraceable, however the Nationwide Built-in Ballistic Info Community have been capable of decide by way of ballistic proof that one in every of Striech’s ghost weapons was concerned in a minimum of eight shootings carried out in Jersey Metropolis.
“Harmful shootings have already been linked to those weapons, and numerous lives might have led to tragedy if extra of those weapons had reached the streets of New York,” mentioned HSI New York Appearing Particular Agent in Cost Michael Alfonso.
Streich — who additionally goes by the alias JD Sammy — was arrested final Wednesday on Staten Island whereas allegedly making an attempt to promote his ghost weapons, and two firearms have been recovered from his automotive.
A subsequent search warrant was executed at his Brooklyn residence that uncovered a number of high-capacity magazines, a grenade, a silencer and a big amount of ammunition, the DA’s workplace mentioned.
An explosive system was additionally found in the course of the search and the constructing was evacuated, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny mentioned, the Staten Island Advance reported.
“Over the course of a number of months, this defendant turned his dwelling into an unlawful weapons manufacturing facility – manufacturing unlawful and lethal ghost weapons,” mentioned NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch in a press launch Tuesday.
“This felony operation is now over, and the NYPD won’t ever relaxation in our efforts to rid our metropolis of those untraceable weapons that solely exist to evade regulation enforcement,” she mentioned.
Governor Kathy Hochul introduced a proposal of “commonsense measures to dam the manufacturing of 3D-printed firearms” that requires the state be notified off any recoveries, in addition to guaranteeing that “pistols can’t be transformed to computerized weapons.”
Staten Island District Legal professional Michael McMahon mentioned investigators imagine Streich acted alone — and that the efforts of the joint activity power ensures “that one in every of New York Metropolis’s most infamous ghost gun traffickers shall be held accountable for his misleading and felony actions.”
The 21-year-old faces as much as 25 years in jail if convicted on the highest expenses.
Streich was arraigned on Staten Island final Wednesday and bail was set within the quantity of $1 million money, $3 million partially secured surety bond, and $3 million insurance coverage firm bond.
