A 23-year-old man from Floral Park, Nassau County, is currently facing serious charges for allegedly operating a homemade ghost gun manufacturing operation out of his residence. Parmbir Singh was arraigned Monday on multiple weapon possession charges, including criminal possession of a weapon, firearm, and a rapid-fire modification device, as detailed in a report by ABC7NY. Singh, who denied all charges against him, had his bail continued at a hefty sum—$500,000 cash, $1.25 million bond, or $2.5 million partially secured bond.
Investigators purportedly found two untraceable ghost guns cleverly hidden within trap doors inside a bedroom and an attic bookshelf. They also seized items including pistols, high-capacity magazines, a 3-D printer, and rapid-fire switches that could effortlessly convert guns into automatic weapons. These findings suggest that Singh was an avid online buyer, amassing components that could be assembled into fully functioning firearms, as reported by Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly. "He was ordering slides, magazine extensions, lasers and flashlights all for Glock pistols, parts that if assembled correctly could potentially build working ghost guns," Donnelly described in a statement covered by ABC7NY.
The charges Singh is confronting are not light. If convicted, he could face up to 7 to 15 years in prison—an outcome that hinges on the impending trial set for January 15, 2025. The gravity of the case is underscored by the dual charges of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, among other allegations, a sentiment echoed in a Newsday article. Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, at a Mineola news conference, said, "The proliferation of ghost guns in this state and across our country is dangerous and disturbing."
Following a probation sentence in January due to a previous assault conviction, Singh legally couldn't possess a firearm. Any attempt to even loosely skirt around this legal restriction is exacerbated by the discovery of a shotgun and a collection of high-capacity magazines in his home. Despite the mounting evidence, it remains to be seen whether the 23-year-old intended to sell or simply stockpile his arsenal of ghost guns. "It was not immediately clear, the district attorney said, if Singh planned to sell the ghost guns," according to a report by Newsday.
All of these charges are set against the backdrop of an ongoing struggle to curb the flow of illegal firearms. This year, the Nassau County DA's office has so far recovered 271 illegal guns, which includes 13 ghost guns, and over 10,000 rounds of ammunition. This effort is a collaborative one, encompassing local and federal agencies. William Walker, the New York special agent in charge at Homeland Security Investigations, informed Newsday that their taskforce spent months targeting "some of the region's most egregious firearms traffickers." The sigh of relief that comes from the arrest of Singh is diluted by the acknowledgment of just how murky and menacing the waters of illegal gun trafficking can be.
