Two men were indicted for selling illegal guns, including ghost guns, in Baldwin and Freeport, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
Cousins Rubenny Torres Duran, of Mountain Top, Penn., and Jose Torres Moncion, of Brooklyn, were arraigned before Judge Helene Gugerty on July 29 and Aug. 4, respectively.
The two were arrested in a Baldwin parking lot on June 11, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.
In their car, Nassau police officers found five ghost guns, including pistols and assault rifles, along with large-capacity magazines to match, Donnelly said.
“These two defendants, cousins working together to allegedly deal firearms in our communities, put lives at risk,” the DA said.
“Trafficking of dangerous, untraceable, ghost guns in our communities must stop, and I am committed to continuing the important work of ending the flow of these illegal weapons into the county,” Donnelly said.
State law defines ghost guns as any firearm without a serial number or other proper documentation.
Donnelly said Torres Duran had sold four other guns in Baldwin and Freeport, charging between $900 and $1,540 for each. The weapons, three semiautomatic pistols and one ghost gun, were allegedly brought from Pennsylvania.
The men were charged with multiple felonies for possessing and selling conventional and ghost guns. Torres Duran received an additional 13 felony counts for the alleged previous sales.
Both men pleaded not guilty to all charges.
If convicted, they each face up to 25 years in prison.
Torres Duran is due back in court on Sept. 9, while Torres Moncion is scheduled for a Sept.10 appearance.
Attorneys for both men could not be reached for comment.
