Brooklyn Man Arrested for Trafficking Ghost Guns
A man from Brooklyn, suspected of running an “illegal arms factory,” was arrested last week and faces 73 charges related to firearms, according to prosecutors.
Martin Streich, a 21-year-old from Gravesend, is alleged to have manufactured and sold eight ghost guns—including two assault weapons—within a three-month span, as reported by the Staten Island District Attorney’s Office.
A joint undercover investigation by the NYPD and Homeland Security, named Operation Big Sky, was initiated after a confidential informant provided leads about Streich’s activities. This information led to a series of undercover purchases of firearms linked to his operations in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Ghost guns are notoriously difficult to trace. However, the National Integrated Ballistics Intelligence Network managed to connect one of Streich’s ghost guns to at least eight shootings in Jersey City.
“Dangerous shootings related to these weapons have already occurred, and had more of these guns reached New York streets, countless lives could have ended in tragedy,” said Michael Alfonso, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of HSI New York.
Streich, who also goes by the name J.D. Sammy, was detained on Staten Island last Wednesday while attempting to sell ghost guns. Police found two firearms in his vehicle.
Subsequent searches of his Brooklyn apartment uncovered multiple high-capacity magazines, hand grenades, silencers, and a substantial amount of ammunition, according to prosecutors.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney reported that explosives were also discovered, prompting the evacuation of the building.
“Over the course of several months, this defendant turned his home into an illegal weapons factory, manufacturing illegal and deadly ghost guns,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated in a press release. “This criminal activity has ended, and the NYPD will never rest in its efforts to rid our city of untraceable weapons that exist solely to evade law enforcement,” she added.
In response to the situation, Governor Cathy Hochul proposed measures aimed at preventing the production of 3D-printed firearms, insisting that the state should be notified of any recalls and that pistols should not be convertible into automatic weapons.
Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon noted that investigators believe Streich acted alone, asserting that this joint effort will ensure accountability for “one of New York City’s most notorious ghost gun traffickers.”
If found guilty, the 21-year-old could face up to 25 years in prison. He was arraigned last Wednesday on Staten Island, with bail set at $1 million in cash, a $3 million partial surety bond, and a $3 million insurance company bond.
