Three Venezuelan immigrants, including the baby-faced Torren de Aragua leader, brazenly peddled illegal pistols, shotguns, Lyle and ghost guns throughout New York City, prosecutors alleged.
The ringleader, Stefano Pashon, 21, and two co-conspirators limped into a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday to face gun-trafficking conspiracy charges outlined in a 31-count indictment.
Pachón, who has amassed a lengthy rap sheet since arriving in the Big Apple from Venezuela in late 2023, sold nine different loaded guns during his months-long rampage, prosecutors said.
“The defendant appears to have unlimited access to loaded guns,” said Assistant District Attorney Yuval Simchi-Levy. “This defendant sold guns while out on the road pursuant to a court warrant.”
The indictment stemmed from an investigation into Victor Parra, 30, the leader of an interstate moped gang. He spent three months as a fugitive before being arrested by NYPD officers in May.
Parra pleaded guilty this week to grand larceny, according to court records.
Evidence in the case against Parra ultimately led to a gun-trafficking ring allegedly led by Pashon, an alleged leader of the violent Torren de Aragua gang, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say Pashon, along with Darwin Figuera, 34, Yeoman Serrano, 31, and a fourth defendant, who has not yet been named, trafficked high-quality firearms through WhatsApp. .
Prosecutors said one of the semi-automatic rifles sold was equipped with a “sear switch” that could turn it into an automatic weapon.
They sold 11 guns, authorities said.
Mr. Pachon negotiated the purchase and price of most of the weapons, the people said, and sales were held throughout the Bronx and at gas stations on East 125th Street and Second Avenue in East Harlem.
The three men who appeared in court Wednesday are from Venezuela and all pleaded not guilty.
Passion's lawyer, Michael Fineman, tried to exaggerate how he was an “asylum seeker” and therefore eligible for certain protections, but Judge Althea Drysdale quickly cut him off. The bail application was amended.
“With all due respect, I'm not sure that should be part of your application,” Drysdale retorted. “However, everything [the accused] Just because you're from Venezuela doesn't make you an asylum seeker. ”
The judge ordered Pachon to be held without bail, citing a “prolific rap sheet” that included charges of stealing from Queen's Sephora.
Figuera, who limped into the courtroom wearing cheetah-print Adidas women's slides, was held on $50,000 cash bail.
Serrano was accused of trying to sell his ghost gun, and his bail was set at $75,000.
