Jose Rivera Indicted For Possession of Ghost Guns
Jose Rivera, a 47-year-old man from Manhattan, has been indicted for manufacturing and being in possession of ghost guns. Rivera was arrested in his apartment in September 2022. According to the NYPost, Rivera was arrested while in possession of six fully assembled guns. Two of the firearms were designed as assault weapons.
According to Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Rivera had been buying and collecting gun-making equipment over the last six years. It is alleged that he was in possession of a machine that easily makes firearms from raw blocks of aluminum.
Rivera also reportedly purchased the majority of his equipment in Pennsylvania so as to avoid New York’s strict gun laws. He spent approximately $7,000 on his gun-making operation.
Rivera is facing a host of criminal charges that include the illegal possession of weapons, endangering the welfare of a child, and possession of ammunition. 200 rounds of ammunition were found in his home. The child endangerment charge stems from the allegation that Rivera’s guns were found in areas of his home that were easily accessible to the two children living there.
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“The allegations in this case once again make clear how easy it is for anyone to assemble a semi-automatic weapon in their own home,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. “Thanks to the work of our prosecutors and the hardworking detectives at the NYPD, we have prevented these firearms from hitting our streets and causing harm to New Yorkers.”
New York is faced with the great challenge of gun crime. Ghost guns have made this challenge even tougher. The guns can be assembled in the homes with raw materials. Ghost guns are extremely difficult to trace as they are made and sold privately and do not have serial numbers. Statistics from city officials show that homemade gun sales have risen by 38% in 2022.
