Cortlandt Man Accused Of Making 'Ghost Guns'

CORTLANDT, NY — Westchester County Police arrested a Cortlandt man Tuesday after he was accused of making untraceable “ghost guns.”

Authorities said Nicholas Zito, 22, of Cortlandt, was taken into custody at his home shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday.

He was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, loaded firearm, and multiple counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, possessing three or more firearms and a high-capacity clip, felonies.

Zito was also charged with four counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, for the unfinished firearms.

Police said the items seized from his residence were:

• Three loaded firearms that lacked serial numbers
• Four unfinished/non-serialized frames for firearms
• 23 high-capacity ammunition magazines and ammunition

Zito was using a 3D printer to manufacture the ghost guns, which contain no serial numbers and are untraceable when recovered following the commission of a crime, according to law enforcement.

He was arraigned in a neighboring court and was sent to the Westchester County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail or $50,000 bond.

Zito is scheduled to appear in Cortlandt Town Court Wednesday.

Public Safety Commissioner Terrance Raynor said the county is “committed to keeping illegal firearms of all kinds, including ghost guns, off the streets of our communities.”

Anyone with information about the manufacture, possession or sale of ghost guns is asked to call the Westchester County Police:

• Voice Tip Line: 800-898-TIPS (8477)
• Electronic Tips: tips@wddops.com
• Via Mobile App: Enter Westchester County PD in the app store search bar to find and download it.

Calls, emails and text messages are confidential. Tipsters may remain anonymous if they chose.