Three Venezuelan migrants — together with a baby-faced chief of the Tren de Aragua — overtly traded unlawful handguns, rifles, assault rifles and shotguns round New York, prosecutors say.
Accused gunman Stefano Pachon, 21, and his two accomplices filed right into a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday to face gun-trafficking conspiracy costs outlined in a 31-count indictment.
Pachon, who has constructed up an extended rap sheet since arriving within the Large Apple from Venezuela in late 2023, offered 9 totally different loaded weapons in the course of the months-long abuse spree, prosecutors stated.
“The defendant has entry to a seemingly limitless provide of loaded weapons,” Assistant District Legal professional Yuval Simchi-Levi stated. “This defendant offered the weapons whereas he was in courtroom.”
The cost stems from an investigation into 30-year-old Victor Parra leader of an interstate migrant moped gang who spent three months on the run earlier than being arrested by New York Metropolis police in Might.
Parra pleaded responsible this week to grand theft costs, courtroom information present.
Proof within the case towards Parra finally led to the arms-trafficking ring allegedly led by Pachon, an alleged high-ranking member of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang, prosecutors stated.
Together with Darwin Figueroa, 34, and Yorman Serrano, 31, and a fourth, as-yet-unnamed defendant, Pachon traded an arsenal of high-quality firearms over WhatsApp, in response to prosecutors.
One semi-automatic weapon offered was fitted with a “swap” that might convert it into an computerized weapon, prosecutors stated.
They offered 11 weapons, authorities stated.
Pachon will negotiate the acquisition and worth of many of the weapons, with gross sales happening within the Bronx and an East Harlem gasoline station at East a hundred and twenty fifth Avenue and Second Avenue, officers stated.
The trio who appeared in courtroom on Wednesday are from Venezuela and have all pleaded not responsible.
Pachon’s lawyer, Michael Fineman, tried to argue that he was an “asylum seeker” and that he fell beneath sure protections, however Choose Althea Drysdale shortly reduce him off and adjusted his bail software.
“With all due respect, I do not know if that ought to be a part of your software,” Drysdale replied. “Simply because everybody [the accused] coming from Venezuela doesn’t imply you turn into an asylum seeker.
The decide ordered Pachon held with out bond for his “arrest-rich rap sheet,” which incorporates an alleged theft from a Queens Sephora.
Figueroa, who entered courtroom carrying a pair of Adidas cheetah-print girls’s skates, was held on $50,000 money bail.
Serrano, who allegedly tried to promote his personal ghost gun, was set on $75,000 bail.
