A man from Brooklyn has been apprehended, facing accusations of transforming his residence into an illicit gun manufacturing hub. The arrest, made last week, led to a significant legal development, as the suspect was charged with 73 counts related to firearms, as revealed by prosecutors on Tuesday.
Identified as 21-year-old Martin Streich from the Gravesend neighborhood, he is accused of producing and distributing eight ghost guns, which include two assault-style weapons, over a span of three months. This information was disclosed by the Staten Island District Attorney’s Office.
The arrest followed a joint undercover operation named ‘Operation Big Sky,’ spearheaded by the NYPD in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations. This initiative was prompted by a tip-off from a confidential informant who provided crucial information about Streich to a lead investigator, as reported by the Staten Island Advance.
During the operation, undercover agents successfully purchased several firearms from Streich, conducting these transactions in both Brooklyn and Staten Island, according to reports.
Ghost guns, notorious for their lack of traceability, posed a significant challenge. However, the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network managed to link one of Streich’s ghost guns to at least eight shootings in Jersey City through ballistic evidence.
Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI New York, expressed grave concern about the potential impact of these weapons, stating, “Dangerous shootings have already been linked to these weapons, and countless lives could have ended in tragedy if more of these guns had reached the streets of New York.”
Streich — who also goes by the alias JD Sammy — was arrested last Wednesday on Staten Island while allegedly attempting to sell his ghost guns, and two firearms were recovered from his car.
A subsequent search warrant was executed at his Brooklyn apartment that uncovered multiple high-capacity magazines, a grenade, a silencer and a large quantity of ammunition, the DA’s office said.
An explosive device was also discovered during the search and the building was evacuated, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said, the Staten Island Advance reported.
“Over the course of several months, this defendant turned his home into an illegal weapons factory – manufacturing illegal and deadly ghost guns,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch in a press release Tuesday.
“This criminal operation is now over, and the NYPD will never rest in our efforts to rid our city of these untraceable weapons that only exist to evade law enforcement,” she said.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced a proposal of “commonsense measures to block the production of 3D-printed firearms” that requires the state be notified off any recoveries, as well as ensuring that “pistols cannot be converted to automatic weapons.”
Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon said investigators believe Streich acted alone — and that the efforts of the joint task force ensures “that one of New York City’s most notorious ghost gun traffickers will be held accountable for his deceptive and criminal actions.”
The 21-year-old faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top charges.
Streich was arraigned on Staten Island last Wednesday and bail was set in the amount of $1 million cash, $3 million partially secured surety bond, and $3 million insurance company bond.
