Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
A massive stockpile of illegal “ghost” guns was recently discovered in Richmond Hill.
By Forum Staff
A Richmond Hill man has been charged with allegedly possessing a stockpile of illegal weapons, including “ghost” guns, magazines and ammo, in his home and car, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.
Jonathan Santos, 36, was arraigned last Wednesday on a 252-count indictment charging him with criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree, 36 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, 185 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, 26 counts of criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree, three counts of make/transport/dispose/deface weapons and dangerous instruments, firearms; unlawful possession of pistol or revolver ammunition, 17 counts of prohibition on unfinished frames or receivers and five counts of firearms certificates of registration. Santos has been ordered to return to court on Nov. 9.
Investigators were conducting on-going surveillance of Santos who has allegedly been buying firearm parts online. On Monday, Oct. 18, police observed Santos allegedly putting long-gun cases into the trunk of his white Chrysler 300 and pulled him over after he drove away from his home.
Firearms and other material allegedly recovered from the defendant’s car include:
- 7 completed semi-automatic ghost guns
- 2 completed assault rifle ghost guns
- 1 assault rifle
- 25 magazines (high capacity)
- 500 assorted rounds of ammunition
According to the charges, Santos was taken into custody and Queens Criminal Court Judge
Eugene Guarino signed a search warrant for Santos’s home. At approximately 9:30 p.m., police executed the court-authorized warrant and allegedly recovered a stockpile of weapons from Santos’s
102nd Street home, including:
- 21 firearms (assault rifles, fully automatic machine guns, semi-automatic pistols, fully automatic pistols, shotguns)
- 2 rapid fire modification devices capable of converting a semi-automatic pistol to fully automatic
- 110 high-capacity magazines
- 1 short barrel rifle conversion kit
- 3 silencers
- Approximately 15,000 rounds of assorted ammunition
- Numerous firearms-related components, parts and tools commonly used to manufacture ghost guns
Katz said Santos does not have a license to possess or own firearms in New York City.
Since August, there have been a total of four ghost gun takedowns—two in Richmond Hill, one in
Hollis and one in Rosedale. The busts included the seizure of dozens of completed ghost guns, the components to complete dozens more, accessories that turn pistols into automatic weapons and more than 32,000 rounds of ammunition.
“Using traditional investigative techniques, coupled with accurate intelligence gathering and analysis, my office is working in partnership with NYPD to take these tools of death off our streets and hold accountable those who seek to profit by selling them,” Katz said. “I call it the ‘Polymer Pipeline’ because a crucial component of these ghost guns is made of a durable polymer plastic. We have a clear message to those who think they can get away with bringing these gun parts into our borough: Think again. We will find you, we will prosecute you and we will dismantle the Polymer Pipeline.”
If convicted, Santos faces up to 30 years in prison.
