Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
“This is the fifth seizure of ghost guns in Queens since August—and we will not stop,” DA Katz said.”
By Forum Staff
A Fresh Meadows man has been charged for allegedly keeping a stockpile of illegal weapons—including “ghost” guns, large capacity magazines and ammunition—in his home, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.
Chaz McMillan, 20, was arraigned last Wednesday night on a 125-count criminal complaint with criminal possession of a weapon in the first, second and third degree; criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree; criminal possession of a firearm; manufacture of weapons and dangerous instruments; unlawful possession of pistol or revolver ammunition; and other charges.
Investigators were conducting on-going surveillance of McMillan who has allegedly been buying firearm parts online. They executed a search warrant early in the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 8, wherein the following firearms and other items were recovered:
- 25 ghost guns including: 19 semi-automatic pistols, five assault weapons, one semi-automatic shotgun
- 31 large capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition
- Four additional complete polymer-based lower receivers
- Approximately 670 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, including 9mm, 10mm
- Several firearm-related components, parts, and equipment for assembling and manufacturing ghost guns
- Approximately two 10-ounce bars of silver and fifteen 1-ounce silver coins
Katz said that McMillan does not have a license to possess or own firearms in the five boroughs.
Since August, there have been a total of five ghost gun takedowns in Queens—two in Richmond
Hill, one in Hollis, one in Rosedale and one in Fresh Meadows—with six defendants charged.
Total Evidence Recovered to Date:
- 74 Total Firearms (Ghost Guns + Commercially manufactured)
- 51 Ghost Guns (31 Semi-automatic Handguns, 17 Assault Weapons, 2 Machine Guns, 1 semi-automatic Shotgun)
- 222 High-Capacity Magazines (Holds over 10 Rounds)
- 91 Firearm Lower Receivers
- 4 Rapid-Fire Modification Devices
- Approximately 33,470 Rounds of Ammunition
“This is the fifth seizure of ghost guns in Queens since August—and we will not stop,” Katz said. “Using traditional investigative techniques, accurate intelligence gathering and analysis, we are continuing a relentless pursuit of those who think they can get away with bringing gun parts into our borough, assembling them and selling them here. Working in partnership with the NYPD, we are going to dismantle the ‘polymer pipeline’ – ‘polymer,’ because a crucial component of these ghost guns is made of a durable polymer plastic – and get these tools of death off our streets.”
If convicted, McMillan faces up to 25 years in prison.
“When four people were shot outside a club in upper Manhattan in September, the shooter used a ghost gun. When three people were shot outside a studio in midtown Manhattan in November, a ghost gun was involved. When we recently arrested a 17-year-old student at his Brooklyn high school, we recovered a ghost gun and $30,000 in his backpack,” said City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “This is not a passing fad. These illegal weapons endanger our citizens, our police and our kids. This is emerging, quickly, as a replacement supply chain for gun smugglers who traditionally relied on the ‘iron pipeline.’”
