Attorney General James Announces Convictions Of Gun Traffickers Who Illegally Sold Assault Weapons In NYC And Nassau County  

Attorney General James Announces Convictions of Gun Traffickers Who Illegally Sold Assault Weapons in NYC and Nassau County

Individuals Illegally Sold Assault Weapons, Semiautomatic Pistols, High-Capacity Magazines,
and Hundreds of Rounds of Ammunition

NASSAU COUNTY – Attorney General Letitia James today announced the convictions of two defendants for their roles in a gun trafficking operation that brought guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition from Pennsylvania and resold them in New York. Tadarrell Jones and Shyrein Joseph both pleaded guilty to charges related to illegally buying and selling guns and ammunition, including assault weapons, semiautomatic pistols, high-capacity magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

“Let this serve as a loud and clear message: If you try to illegally traffic guns into New York, we will go after you,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “These individuals brought dangerous assault weapons into our state, the same weapons that have ravaged communities across our country. We will continue to pursue any individual who attempts to flood our streets with guns of any kind.”

“This case highlights the ongoing efforts by State Police and our law enforcement partners to prevent the illegal trafficking of firearms in New York State,” said State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. “I want to thank our members and the Attorney General’s Office for their continued collaboration. We simply will not tolerate this type of activity.”

Yesterday, before Nassau County Court Judge Robert McDonald, Tadarrell Jones was sentenced to 7 ½  years in state prison followed by five years of post-release supervision based on his guilty plea to 28 counts including Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Second Degree, Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, and other related charges.

As part of his guilty plea on August 2, 2019, Jones admitted that on five occasions between September and October 2016, he purchased firearms and ammunition in Pennsylvania and traveled to New York County and Nassau County to resell the firearms and ammunition. Jones further admitted to selling three assault weapons, one semiautomatic pistol, one revolver, four high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition to an undercover agent.

Co-defendant Shyrein Joseph, based upon her guilty plea on July 2, 2019, will be sentenced to state prison on a later date. As part of her guilty plea, Joseph admitted to traveling with Jones to New York to sell firearms and ammunition, as well as selling a revolver to an undercover agent. Both Jones and Joseph each also pleaded guilty to Endangering the Welfare of a Child after admitting that they brought their underage children to several of the firearms transactions.

The investigation, led by the Attorney General’s Organize Crime Task Force (OCTF) along with the New York State Police Troop L Narcotics Enforcement Unit, resulted in the recovery of: one semiautomatic pistol, two magnum revolvers, three assault rifles, four high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and 744 rounds of ammunition. 

The Attorney General’s investigation included the use of physical surveillance, electronic surveillance, confidential sources, and undercover operations in Nassau, and New York Counties. During the course of the recorded transactions, each of the defendants frequently referenced their ability to purchase other guns from outside of New York.

The Attorney General would like to thank the New York State Police Troop L Narcotics Enforcement Unit for their valuable participation in this investigation. 

The investigation was directed by OCTF Senior Investigator Garry Ferguson, Supervising Investigator Paul Grzegorski, and Investigator Mary Laspina, under the supervision of Downstate OCTF Deputy Chief Christopher Vasta. The Attorney General’s Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Investigator Oliver Pu-Folkes.

The case is being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General Shanon Nicholas LaCorte under the supervision of Deputy Chief Lauren Abinanti. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of the Organized Crime Task Force. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado. 

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