3 gunrunners in NYC arrested after trying to sell weapons to informants: Report

The authorities in New York City said that they arrested three gunrunners who "directly contributed to the flow of illegal guns," according to the New York Post.

Shaqoya Hall and Zachary "J" Hampton were arrested on January 30 in Manhattan, and Christen Chen was arrested in her hometown of Staten Island.

The three transported at least 13 weapons to the Big Apple by way of car or bus, and then proceeded to resell them once they made it to the five boroughs. The authorities suggested that the three talked about selling 40 firearms.

The criminal complaint filed in Manhattan Federal Court stated that the artillery discovered included handguns, extended magazines, semi-automatic handguns, and at least one assault rifle. The three reportedly sold one weapon on Staten Island on October 16 for $1,000. And less than a week later, Hall and Chen sold four more to an informant for around $5,000.

Hampton and Hall were ultimately arrested at a Manhattan hotel after they were prepared to sell eight firearms for $13,500.

Tommy Kalogiros, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives said: “The unchecked flow of weapons onto our streets is a threat to every single person in NYC. These arrests serve as a notice to those who think they are above the law and can illegally traffic guns into our communities."

"The men and women of ATF NY will never waiver on our commitment to protect the public and to aggressively target firearms traffickers. The proliferation of illegal guns may be continuous, but law enforcement is united and strong. I thank all the members of the ATF NY Joint Firearms Task Force, HSI, NYPD, and SDNY for their diligent work and tireless dedication to our shared public safety mission," Kalogiros added.

The United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York reported that NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: "When investigating the gun violence that plagues our city, the NYPD and our law enforcement partners always look at how the illegal firearms arrived in the five boroughs and who is selling them here – then we devise and execute a strategy to dismantle those schemes."

"These latest arrests are a prime example of a great plan coming together. I commend everyone involved in this multi-agency effort, from our NYPD investigators to all of our colleagues at the ATF, HSI, and the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York," Caban continued.

Hall, Hampton, and Chen were all indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit gun trafficking, which comes with a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. They were also charged with one count of unlicensed gun trafficking, which also carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

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