Four individuals have been convicted and sentenced in connection with a gun trafficking operation in Central New York involving the sale of illegal firearms, including untraceable "ghost guns." New York Attorney General Letitia James stated that the defendants were part of a network that distributed weapons, including 21 ghost guns lacking serial numbers, which complicates efforts to track them, according to a press release from the Attorney General's office.
Following an investigation by the Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), and in collaboration with various New York State Police units, the crackdown recovered 34 firearms plus ammo and high-capacity magazines. Charged back in April 2024, the group faced 35 crimes across two separate indictments. The guilty pleas cover felony possession of firearms, resulting in years-long prison sentences, "Gun traffickers who flood our communities with illegal untraceable ghost guns put all New Yorkers in danger," James stated in the press release.
The multi-agency efforts leading to these convictions include law enforcement subpoenas, secret surveillance operations, and the use of undercover operatives. These tactical moves aimed to dismantle the firearms trafficking that plagued the Syracuse area with unregistered and untraceable weapons. Tactics such as these are part of ongoing efforts to mitigate gun violence in New York City and throughout the state.
In the specifics of the case, individuals Brian Lawson, Jeremy Baker, and Charles Baker were found to be the main players, peddling firearms without serial numbers and unregistered handguns across Onondaga County. In court, they pled guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony, "This case is a testament to the results we can achieve when agencies work together to combat the flow of illegal weapons and dismantle violent trafficking networks," New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James told the Attorney General's office. Their sentences range from two and a half to six years in prison, followed by post-release supervision, and in some cases, included the forfeiture of cash earned from their illegal ventures.
As part of the operation, investigators seized a range of weapons, including unfinished receivers, unserialized pistols, assault rifles, and high-capacity magazines. The investigation was led by individuals such as now-retired NYSP Investigator Todd Grant of the Community Stabilization Unit and OCTF Detective William Elsenbeck, who worked to address the distribution of ghost guns and other firearms in the region.
