In a significant crackdown on gun and drug trafficking in Southeast Queens, two alleged traffickers, Teddy "JD Yikes" Gaston and Jezerel Huston, now face a 194-count indictment on various charges related to their purported operations. Authorities assert that Gaston and Huston colluded to buy firearms in Georgia before transporting them to Queens for sale. The investigation, spanning six months, involved NYPD detectives and HSI special agents and led to undercover purchases totaling more than 70 firearms, as well as ammunition and drugs, according to the Queens District Attorney's Office.
The allegations are supported by undercover operations that resulted in the recovery of firearms, including assault weapons and a ghost gun. Authorities also seized fentanyl pills and cocaine, with many of the sales occurring in a McDonald’s parking lot in Rosedale. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz noted the public safety risks posed by such trafficking networks and stated that her office will pursue prosecution of those who exploit more permissive gun laws in other states to smuggle weapons into the borough.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch lauded the investigative work that has purportedly led to a downturn in shootings and the removal of a significant number of guns from the streets. "These guns could have caused significant harm in our communities, but because of the incredible work that our detectives do every day, they will no longer pose a risk to anyone. This is the NYPD's work in action — removing more than 3,900 guns from our streets this year alone and bringing shootings down to record-lows," Tisch told the DA's office. The joint task force played a central role in disrupting what authorities call the “Iron Pipeline,” a channel used to traffic firearms from states with less restrictive gun laws into jurisdictions with stricter regulations such as New York.
Details from the Queens District Attorney's Office highlight some of the transactions, including one where Gaston, after receiving $4,300 from an undercover officer, allegedly returned with a knapsack containing six handguns right around the corner from their McDonald's meeting spot. On another occasion, surveillance footage captures both Gaston and Huston with a suitcase later found to contain several firearms, including an assault rifle and the mentioned ghost gun with a switch, for massively increasing its rate of fire, in exchange for $9,400. The culmination of their alleged illicit enterprise came when the NYPD along with other law enforcement partners arrested the duo and confisticated 18 additional firearms, including five assault weapons.
Gaston and Huston face serious charges that, if convicted, could result in up to 25 years of imprisonment. They were arraigned before Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino, who remanded them pending their next court date on October 6. Assistant District Attorney Candice Smith is leading the prosecution, with backing from various supervisors in the Queens District Attorney's Major Economic Crimes Bureau. Suffolk County Police Department’s involvement was also recognized as instrumental in the successful apprehension and indictment of the two men.
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