Venezuelan Migrants, Gang Member Arrested in NYC Gun Trafficking

A high-ranking Tren de Aragua gang member, along with two other migrants, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with trafficking an arsenal of guns across New York City. The three defendants, all from Venezuela, pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, including conspiracy, criminal sale of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon.

Prosecutors said the weapons sold include semiautomatic pistols, shotguns, rifles, and ghost guns. One of the semi-automatic weapons was equipped with a "sear switch" to turn it automatic, and many were sold with large ammunition-feeding devices to increase their capacity.

The defendants are accused of sending information about the weapons over WhatsApp, including photos. The buyer would then come to the meet-up point and provide cash in exchange for the guns.

Stefano Pachon, 21, a high-ranking member of the Tren de Aragua gang, sold multiple loaded guns, prosecutors said. He allegedly sold the weapons while out on a bench warrant and already had four arrests to his name.

Darwin Figuera, 34, and Yorman Serrano, 31, were also charged in the 31-count indictment. A fourth co-conspirator has also been charged in the indictment.

The case stemmed in part from an investigation into Victor Parra, the ringleader of a cellphone snatching ring. Earlier this week, Parra pleaded guilty to two counts of grand larceny and is expected to be sentenced to two to six years in state prison. The evidence in that investigation contributed to the investigation of this gun trafficking conspiracy.

The judge ordered Pachon to be held without bail, while Figuera was held on $50,000 cash bail and Serrano had his bail set at $50,000.

The guns confiscated included four 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistols, each equipped with ammunition magazines; a Polymer80 9-millimeter semi-automatic ghost gun that had a magazine with the capacity for 34 rounds; a Smith & Wesson .38 special caliber revolver; a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun; a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber fully-automatic pistol that had a magazine with a capacity of 15 rounds; an American Tactical 5.56×45 millimeter semi-automatic rifle equipped with ammunition magazines; a Radical 5.56×45 millimeter semi-automatic pistol with ammunition magazines; and a Ruger semi-automatic pistol.