Massive Ghost Gun, Narcotics Ring Sting In Port Chester

PORT CHESTER, NY — A joint investigation by the OAG, NYPD, NYSP and the DEA recovered 19 firearms, including 12 ghost guns, high-capacity magazines and more than 560 grams of cocaine, according to officials.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force announced the takedown of a firearm and drug trafficking operation that illegally sold guns, including ghost guns and assault weapons, in New York City and Westchester County. The 123-count indictment charges Eduardo Hernandez, Jose Garcia and Euclides Castillo with trafficking 19 firearms, including 12 ghost guns, six high-capacity magazines, and more than 560 grams of cocaine with a street value of approximately $25,000.

Wednesday's operation was the result of a 16-month joint investigation between the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD), New York State Police (NYSP), and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

"Guns are one of the greatest threats to public safety, and we must do all we can to stop the flow of these weapons into our communities," Attorney General James said. "Untraceable ghost guns present a new and growing risk to our safety, but this takedown makes clear that we will not allow anyone to make a business selling ghost guns and assault weapons in our state. From stopping the companies that sell these dangerous ghost gun kits, to defending our state’s commonsense gun laws, and going after gun traffickers, we will continue to address the gun violence crisis from every angle. I thank our partners in law enforcement for their invaluable support in this investigation, and for their continued commitment to protecting the safety of all New Yorkers."

The investigators said that Hernandez, Castillo and Garcia worked together to traffic firearms from Massachusetts to New York where they were illegally sold. Both Hernandez and Garcia sourced the majority of these guns from an undisclosed location in Massachusetts and brought them to New York, according to law enforcement officials.

Between March 2021 and July 2022, both Hernandez and Garcia sold illegal firearms, including loaded assault-style ghost guns, at Hernandez’s residence in Queens, and Garcia also made sales from a location in Port Chester, James said.

Castillo was present and participated in the illegal sale of firearms, according to investigators, who said Castillo previously worked in the assembly division for the gun maker Smith & Wesson. He is also accused of providing buyers with instructions on how to operate the purchased firearms while inside Hernandez’s Queens residence.

Hernandez also sold more than 560 grams of cocaine, the task force said. In total, the investigation resulted in the recovery of:

• 19 firearms, 12 of which were ghost guns
• Nine 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistols, eight of which were ghost guns
• Seven AR-15 style assault weapons, four of which were ghost guns, two that were loaded
• Two .45 Caliber pistols, one of which was loaded
• One cutdown, defaced and loaded 12-gauge shotgun
• Six high-capacity magazines
• Approximately 560 grams of cocaine and 0.4 grams of heroin

The investigation included hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, and analysis of electronic evidence, including cellphone communications.

"The DEA New York Division is committed to making New York City a healthier and safer city by targeting gun and drug traffickers," DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said. "This investigation exemplifies law enforcement action to stop the insidious gun trafficking networks in our city with ties throughout the east coast. Each gun that is seized is an act of violence prevented, and I applaud the hardworking investigators and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly on this investigation for their steadfast commitment to removing drugs and threats of violence through law enforcement action."

The 123-count indictment, unsealed Wednesday in Queens County Supreme Court, charged the three individuals with multiple crimes, including criminal sale of a firearm in the first, second, and third degrees, criminal sale of a ghost gun in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second and third degrees, criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first, second, and third degrees, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second and third degrees, and conspiracy to sell firearms as well as conspiracy to distribute narcotics, among other charges.

"The arrest of these three individuals is a testament that we will not stand for dangerous weapons and drugs to be infiltrated into our communities or state," New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli said. "The State Police remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep dangerous individuals such as this off our streets."

If convicted, Eduardo Hernandez faces up to 25 years in prison on a conviction to criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree and up to 20 years in prison on a conviction to criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree. Jose Garcia faces up to 15 years in prison and Euclides Castillo faces up to 7 years in prison.