26 ghost guns seized from Rockaway Park residence: DA

ROCKAWAY PARK, N.Y. (PIX11) — A 51-year-old man accused of possessing 31 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition was arraigned on a 281-count complaint on Thursday, the Queen’s District Attorney’s Office announced.

Officers from the NYPD and the District Attorney’s Detective Bureau executed a search warrant at Ryszard Materna’s residence at 117th Street in Rockaway Park on Wednesday. Authorities found firearms, including 26 ghost guns, ammunition, and other weapons-related paraphernalia.

Charges include:

• Two count of criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree;
• 53 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree;
• 137 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree;
• 19 counts of manufacture, transport, disposition and defacement of weapons and dangerous instruments and appliances;
• 29 counts of criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree;
• 29 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree;
• Six counts of failure to safely store files, shotguns and firearms in the first degree;
• Endangering the welfare of a child;
• Three counts of unlawful possession of pistol or revolver ammunition;
• Two counts of failure to obtain firearm certificates of registration.

If convicted, Materna faces up to 25 years in prison. He was ordered to return to court on April 22.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org , downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here .

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