A Brooklyn man was sentenced to a decade behind bars for assembling an arsenal of illegal and untraceable firearms known as ghost guns.
The Brooklyn District Attorney said the authorities recovered 13 weapons from the apartment of Dexter Taylor, 53, including assault weapons, handguns and rifles, prompting his arrest and conviction of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and other related charges last month, according to a news release.
The DA's office said the investigating officers from the New York City Police Department found that Taylor ordered numerous ghost gun kits and parts from various online retailers that were shipped to the defendant’s address on Eldert Street in Bushwick.
A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s apartment on April 6, 2022, and numerous items were recovered, including four AR-15 style assault weapons, five handguns, four rifles and over 50 rounds of ammunition in addition to gun powder, shell casings, triggers, a 3D printer and various upper and lower receivers used to build firearms.
The weapons were being stored in an unlocked safe as well as a closet. According to evidence presented at trial, the defendant spent approximately $40,000 to obtain the ghost guns parts and tools. The defendant did not have a gun license, according to the news release.
Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said he hoped the sentence conveyed his office's stance against the prevalence of guns which put the lives of New Yorkers at risk.
"Ghost guns are a threat to New Yorkers everywhere, and my office is working tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement to stop their proliferation," he said. "Today’s sentence should send a message to anyone who, like this defendant, would try to evade critically important background checks and registration requirements to manufacture and stockpile these dangerous weapons. Every ghost gun we take off the street is a win for public safety.”
