A late-night traffic stop on Interstate 84 in the Town of Southeast ended with a New Jersey man behind bars after state troopers say they found a loaded, privately made handgun, often dubbed a “ghost gun,” inside his car on July 10. Troopers say the driver admitted the weapon was his and was arrested on felony weapons charges. He was arraigned and remanded without bail, with a preliminary hearing set for Thursday, July 16. The case lands as law enforcement across New York has been seizing more un-serialized firearms and ramping up enforcement.
Traffic stop and discovery
According to the New York State Police, members of Troop K's Community Stabilization Unit pulled the vehicle over as it headed eastbound on Interstate 84 around 10:00 p.m. for multiple vehicle and traffic law violations. During an inventory search before the car was impounded, troopers say they discovered a loaded, privately made .40-caliber handgun.
Troopers said neither the driver nor his 36-year-old passenger had a valid driver's license. The driver, identified as Bienvenido R. Núñez Jr., 48, of Edison, New Jersey, allegedly admitted the firearm belonged to him, according to state police.
Charges and court date
As reported by Daily Voice, Núñez was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. He was arraigned in Town of Kent Court and remanded without bail to the Putnam County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. on July 16 in Town of Southeast Court.
Why 'ghost guns' matter
Privately made, unserialized firearms are commonly referred to as “ghost guns” because they are difficult for authorities to trace. The New York State Police have reported multiple recent seizures, including a May 17 raid in Cortland County where investigators say they recovered 3D-printed parts and several ghost guns. Federal prosecutors have also flagged ghost guns in major drug-and-weapons investigations, as detailed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Legal implications
Under New York law, possessing a loaded firearm can qualify as criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a class C felony, while criminal possession of a firearm is a class E felony. The statute specifically lists possession of a loaded firearm as an element prosecutors may rely on for the second-degree charge; the statutory language is available via FindLaw.
What happens next
Núñez is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Thursday, July 16 at 1 p.m., where a judge will decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to move the case forward. Local reporting and the state police release lay out the details, including coverage by Daily Voice.
