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Police also recovered from Williams’ apartment a black leather bag containing .45-caliber rounds of ammunition.
By Forum Staff
An Arverne man has been convicted of illegally possessing two assault weapons that he bought online, as well as loose rounds of ammunition and marijuana. District Attorney Brown said, “The District Attorney’s Office is committed to ridding our communities of illegal guns, which pose a serious and deadly threat to public safety. In this case justice has been served and the defendant now faces a lengthy time behind bars for his crimes.” The defendant was identified as Charles Williams, 23, of Arverne, New York. Following a five-day jury trial Williams was convicted yesterday of second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of marihuana. Sentencing is scheduled for December 5, 2016, at which time Williams faces up to fifteen years in prison.
According to the criminal charges, members of the New York City Police Department’s Queens Gang Unit executed a court-authorized search warrant on Williams’ first-floor apartment on July 10, 2014. Upon entering the apartment, Williams was observed by police in a rear bedroom from which they recovered a loaded assault rifle (7.62mm caliber) with a collapsible stock and an empty handgun magazine from the closet. On one of the bedroom dressers police recovered a black leather bag containing eighteen .45 caliber rounds of ammunition and eleven 7.62 caliber rounds of ammunition and a bag of marijuana from a second dresser. From a front hall closet, police recovered a second loaded assault rifle (7.62mm caliber) capable of having a bayonet attached.
In speaking with police Williams allegedly stated that he bought the weapons on the internet.
