A loopy Lengthy Island geezer allegedly remodeled his basement right into a makeshift capturing vary geared up with an unimaginable arsenal of self-built machine weapons, together with a “weapon of mass killing” — set simply steps away from a number of colleges.
Wen-Lone Chou, 67, operated a sprawling suburban gun lab inside his Mineola residence down the highway from Chaminade Excessive Faculty, a Mineola college soccer subject and a close-by elementary college — that was match with a 25-foot-long DIY capturing vary in his basement, prosecutors alleged.
After a year-long, multi-agency probe, cops arrested Chou Wednesday after rifling by means of his residence, the place they found a staggering cache of firepower.
“What’s much more terrifying — this unlawful, harmful exercise was taking place steps away from a number of colleges,” Nassau County District Lawyer Anne Donnelly informed reporters Thursday.
Police uncovered 10 largely unlawful weapons, together with seven assault-style rifles, a home-assembled totally automated MP5-style weapon, a 9mm ghost gun with unlawful components, 78 high-capacity magazines — some stashed in Chou’s ceiling — together with six suppressors, roughly 6,000 rounds of ammo, and a rapid-fire change able to turning rifles into machine weapons.
The one authorized weapon within the residence was an previous bolt-action looking rifle, Donnelly stated.
Investigators additionally uncovered 5 accomplished decrease frames — that are handgun and AR-style platforms awaiting extra elements to be accomplished — together with components able to assembling yet one more MP5-style firearm and even turning his AR-style weapons into a totally automated killing machine.
“[Chou] had all of the elements to assemble an precise machine gun,” Donnelly stated.
“This tiny merchandise proper right here can successfully flip these firearms into machine weapons,” she added, holding up the small metallic “change” system prosecutors stated can rework a semi-automatic rifle right into a full auto weapon.
“It makes an already lethal weapon, a weapon of mass killing.”
However what actually shocked authorities was what they stated was hidden under Chou’s home — a totally functioning 25-foot underground firing tunnel, with the partitions lined with blue tarps to comprise particles and sound, and a four-inch-thick plywood goal riddled with rounds.
Chou used suppressors whereas firing in his tunnel so neighbors and kids throughout the road wouldn’t hear the photographs ring out, authorities alleged.
The probe launched in January 2025, after Chou was flagged as an alleged frequent on-line purchaser of gun components from a number of retailers — buying roughly 112 firearm-related elements over the course of the prior 12 months, in accordance with prosecutors.
“This type of buying sample is a direct crimson flag for our regulation enforcement,” Donnelly stated.
Authorities additionally realized that Chou’s Nassau County pistol allow had been revoked in 1999 following a home incident, although he has no prior arrests — elevating much more concern as investigators tracked what they described as an escalating sample of purchases.
Prosecutors are figuring out whether or not Chou was merely a gun fanatic who went wildly overboard or if there was a extra sinister motive.
There isn’t a proof, to this point, that he bought the weapons or was actively plotting an assault, authorities stated.
Chou pleaded not responsible in Hempstead courtroom on Thursday. His bail was set at $250,000 money, $625,000 bond or $1.25 million partially secured, and he was ordered to give up his passport.
If convicted, he faces as much as 15 years in jail.
