A alleged Massive Apple ghost gun trafficker who turned his residence “an unlawful weapons manufacturing unit” was arrested final week and indicted on 73 firearm associated prices, 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 response to the Staten Island District Lawyer’s Workplace.
The NYPD and Homeland Safety Investigations launched a joint undercover dubbed ‘Operation Massive 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 response to the outlet.
Ghost weapons are usually dangerously untraceable, however the Nationwide Built-in Ballistic Info Community have been capable of decide by means of ballistic proof that one in all 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 Performing 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 automobile.
A subsequent search warrant was executed at his Brooklyn condo 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 throughout 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 residence into an unlawful weapons manufacturing unit – 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 making certain that “pistols can’t be transformed to computerized weapons.”
Staten Island District Lawyer Michael McMahon mentioned investigators consider Streich acted alone — and that the efforts of the joint activity drive ensures “that one in all New York Metropolis’s most infamous ghost gun traffickers can 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 prices.
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.
