NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Queens man is facing multiple weapons charges for allegedly having a stockpile of illegal weapons, including “ghost” guns, magazines, and ammo, inside his home and car, officials said.
Jonathan Santos, 36, a Richmond Hill resident was arraigned at Queens Criminal Court on Wednesday on a 252-count complaint, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, and NYPD Chief of Intelligence Thomas Galati announced on Thursday.
Santos is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 36 counts of criminal possession of a weapon, 185 counts of criminal possession of a weapon, 26 counts of criminal sale of a firearm, three counts of make/transport/dispose/deface weapons, and dangerous instruments, firearms.
He also faces unlawful possession of pistol or revolver ammunition, 17 counts of prohibition on unfinished frames or receivers, and five counts of firearms certificates of registration.
Investigators were conducting ongoing surveillance of Santos who had allegedly been buying firearm 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 after he drove away from his home, authorities said.
Firearms and other material including seven completed semi-automatic ghost guns, two completed assault rifle ghost guns, one assault rifle, 25 magazines (high capacity), 500 assorted rounds of ammunition were allegedly recovered from Santos’ car.
“Using traditional investigative techniques, coupled with accurate intelligence gathering and analysis, my Office is working in partnership with NYPD to take these tools of death off our streets and hold accountable those who seek to profit by selling them," Katz said. "I call it the ‘Polymer Pipeline’ because a crucial component of these ghost guns is made of a durable polymer plastic."
Santos was taken into custody and a search warrant was issued for his home at approximately 9:30 p.m. where police allegedly recovered a stockpile of weapons from his 102nd Street home.
Authorities discovered 21 firearms including assault rifles, fully automatic machine guns, semi-automatic pistols, fully automatic pistols, and shotguns, two rapid-fire modification devices capable of converting a semi-automatic pistol to fully automatic, 110 high-capacity magazines, one short barrel rifle conversion kit3 silencers.
There were approximately 15,000 rounds of assorted ammunition, as well as numerous firearms-related components, parts, and tools commonly used to manufacture ghost guns, authorities said.
Santos does not have a license to possess or own firearms in New York City, DA Katz said.
“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.”
Santos is set to return to court on November 9. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.
Since August, there have been a total of four ghost gun investigations – two in Richmond Hill, one in Hollis, and another in Rosedale where officials recovered 49 total firearms including 26 ghost guns and more than 32,000 rounds of ammunition.
"We have a clear message to those who think they can get away with bringing these gun parts into our borough: Think again. We will find you, we will prosecute you and we will dismantle the Polymer Pipeline," Katz added.