WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES OCTOBER 28, 2021 17
Richmond Hill man charged with possessing ‘ghost’ guns: DA
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
A Richmond Hill man has been
charged with possessing an
arsenal of illegal “ghost” guns,
Queens District Attorney Melinda
Katz and NYPD Chief of Intelligence
Thomas Galanti announced Thursday,
Oct. 21.
Jonathan Santos, 36, of 102nd Street
on Richmond Hill, was arraigned
before Queens Criminal Court Judge
Edwin Novillo on a 252-count complaint
charging him with multiple
counts of criminal possession of a
weapon, criminal sale of a fi rearm and
numerous other charges for allegedly
having a huge cache of illegal weapons,
including ghost guns, magazines and
ammunition, in his home and car.
This is the fourth gun bust since
August that has 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
offi ce is working in partnership with
the NYPD to take these tools of death
off our streets and hold accountable
those who seek to profi t by selling
them,” Katz said. “I call it the ‘Polymer
Pipeline’ because a crucial component
of these ghost guns is made of durable
polymer plastic. We have a clear message
to those who think they can get
away with bringing these ghost gun
parts into our borough: Think again.
We will fi nd you, we will prosecute
you and we will dismantle the Polymer
Pipeline.”
Investigators were conducting ongoing
surveillance of Santos who has allegedly
been buying fi rearm 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 aft er he drove
away from his home.
Firearms and other material recovered
from the car included seven
completed semi-automatic ghost guns,
two completed assault rifl e ghost guns,
one assault rifl e, 25 magazines and 500
assorted rounds of ammo, prosecutors
said.
According to the charges, Santos
was taken into custody and Queens
Criminal Court Judge Eugene Guarino
signed a search warrant for the Santos
home. Police executed the warrant and
allegedly recovered a stockpile from
his 102nd Street home that included 21
fi rearms, such as assault rifl es, fully
automatic machine guns, fully automatic
pistols and shotguns.
Police also recovered 110 highcapacity
magazines, three silencers,
approximately 15,000 rounds of ammunition
and numerous fi rearms-related
components, parts and tools commonly
used to manufacture ghost guns.
“We call them ghost guns because
they are assembled piecemeal, have
no serial numbers and are untraceable
to investigators,” Police Commissioner
Dermot Shea said. “But the destruction
wrought by criminals who wield them
is anything but invisible and the NYPD
and its partners are working around
the clock to eradicate them, whether
by regulating them, cutting off their
supply over a virtual Iron Pipeline, or
seizing them in the streets before they
can impact one more life, one more
community.”
Since August, there have been a total
of four gun takedowns in southeast
Queens, two in Richmond Hill, one in
Hollis and one in Rosedale. Katz said
Santos does not have a license to possess
or own fi rearms in New York City.
Judge Novillo ordered Santos to
return to court on Nov. 9. If convicted,
Santos faces up to 30 years in prison.
Queens District Attorney announces the arrest of a Richmond Hill man
who allegedly had a stockpile of ghost guns in his home and car.
Photo courtesy of Queens District Attorney’s offi ce
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