3 Charged With Making 'Ghost Guns' In PA, Selling Them In NJ

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Three men have been arrested, and 20 ghost guns were seized during a crackdown on a gun trafficking ring between Philadelphia and Camden, authorities announced on Wednesday.

A Camden man and two Philadelphia men are accused of participating in an operation in which partially assembled guns were bought in Pennsylvania, and then sold as fully assembled guns in New Jersey, according to Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

They sold 15 guns, which included six AR-style ghost assault rifles and nine ghost 9mm handguns, that didn’t have the serial numbers mandated by state and federal law to allow law enforcement to trace the weapons, authorities said. They also sold nine illegal large-capacity magazines, and one silencer, according to authorities.

On Aug. 16, police arrested the following suspects:

• Eduardo T. Lazo Jr., 26, of Camden;
• Juan Enrique Fernandez, 29, of Philadelphia; and
• Ericknell Rivera-Mercado, 30, of Philadelphia.

Following the arrests, search warrants were executed throughout Camden and Philadelphia, where the guns were assembled, authorities said. Detectives said they additionally seized four more fully assembled ghost handguns (one of which was fully automatic), a fully assembled ghost assault rifle, parts for another ghost handgun, parts for five ghost assault rifles, many rounds of ammunition, and nine large-capacity magazines, including 50- and 60-round drum magazines.

“Every day, we’re working to dismantle the criminal networks that funnel illegal firearms into New Jersey,” Bruck said. “We’re especially concerned about the growth of untraceable ‘ghost guns’ and we’ve devoted our full investigative resources to stopping the flow of these dangerous weapons. These cases wouldn’t be possible without the close collaboration of our neighboring states, and we couldn’t ask for a better partner in these efforts than Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro.”

“Ghost guns have become the weapon of choice for criminals fueling the gun violence epidemic, and thanks to the trust and collaboration between my office, Acting Attorney General Bruck, the NJ State Police and ATF -- this gun trafficking operation has been shut down for good,” Shapiro said. “We’re seeing an increase in gun violence on both sides of the river, and getting these untraceable ghost guns off the streets will save lives and make our communities safer.”

Lazo is the alleged leader of the ring, and, he sold the illegal guns at or near his residence on North 33rd Street, according to authorities. Investigators seized a ghost handgun when a search warrant was executed at his residence.

Lazo and Fernandez are accused of transporting the guns between Philadelphia and Camden. Detectives said Fernandez was in possession of a ghost handgun when he was arrested, and that they seized a ghost assault rifle, two more ghost handguns, parts to build a ghost handgun, parts to build five ghost assault rifles, nine large-capacity magazines, and numerous rounds of ammunition when they executed a search warrant at his house.

All three men have been charged with various counts of second-degree conspiracy, second-degree transporting firearms into the state for sale or transfer, second-degree unlawful possession of an assault rifle, third-degree manufacture, transport, shipment, sale, disposition of an assault rifle, third-degree unlawful possession of firearms without a serial number, and third-degree transporting a manufactured firearm without a serial number.

Lazo and Fernandez are also charged with third-degree purchase of firearm parts to manufacture an untraceable firearm and fourth-degree unlawful possession of large-capacity magazines.

Lazo is also charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, second-degree possession of a weapon as a convicted felon, and fourth-degree manufacture, transport, shipment, sale, disposition of a firearm.

Lazo and Rivera-Mercado are charged with fourth-degree unlawful possession of a silencer. In Pennsylvania, Fernandez is charged with being a fugitive from justice, violation of uniform firearms act (carrying a firearm without a license), and violation of uniform firearms act (carrying a firearm on public streets).

Lazo waived his detention hearing and consented to be detained in jail pending trial in New Jersey. Fernandez and Rivera-Mercado, who were arrested in Philadelphia, were released on bail.

In 2020, the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Offices of Attorney General announced a partnership— the “PA/NJ Gun Trafficking Initiative”—to interdict interstate gun trafficking and solve gun crimes. The initiative built on intelligence-sharing efforts by the Camden Violent Crime Initiative and the Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force, which continue in full force in their respective cities.

The arrests announced on Wednesday come two weeks after 11 people were arrested, and 20 guns were seized in a separate investigation that centered around gun trafficking in Camden. Read more here: Gun Trafficking Ring In Camden County Busted; 11 Indicted

They are the result of a collaborative investigation led by the New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression South Unit, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Gangs and Organized Crime Bureau, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Gun Violence Task Force and Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The NJSP Gangs & Organized Crime South Unit, NJSP Motor Vehicle Crimes South Unit, NJSP Trafficking South Unit, and Philadelphia Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Unlawful possession of a handgun carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility equal to one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed or 3 ½ years, whichever is greater. Possession of a weapon as a convicted felon carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of five years. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.