Ghost guns discovered in home of Queens Village man

Several firearms and firearm components without serial numbers were recovered from a Queens Village man’s home. Also pictured is the 3D printer allegedly used to manufacture the weapons. Photo courtesy of Queens District Attorney’s Office

By Noah Powelson

A Queens Village man was charged on Thursday for allegedly manufacturing ghost guns using a 3D printer.

Johnathan Diaz, a 37-year-old from Queens Village, faces over 20 varying counts of criminal possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Queens district attorney’s office said a long-term investigation was carried out against the defendant for his alleged purchase of unserialized firearm components.

“This defendant, according to the complaint, amassed a collection of ghost guns and parts in his Queens home,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “Working with our partners at the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force, New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations New York, Port Authority Police Department and Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, we are committed to finding and removing illegal homemade weapons from our communities.”

Ghost guns are firearms without serial numbers made from kits and individual parts frequently ordered online or made using 3D printers. Ghost guns are relatively difficult to trace because they lack serial numbers. In New York, the sale of unserialized firearm parts is illegal.

A search warrant carried out by the NYPD on Diaz’s home last Wednesday allegedly uncovered four different assembled semiautomatic pistols, as well as several unserialized firearm components, 9mm ammunition and a 3D printer.

Queens Criminal Court Judge Michael Gaffey is overseeing the case and ordered Diaz to return to court on Tuesday. Diaz faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The investigation into Diaz was a joint operation between the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations New York, NYSP and the Detective Bureau of the Queens DA’s Office.

According to data provided by the Queens DA’s office, roughly 294 ghost guns have been seized since August 2021.

In 2024, Queens had the most ghost gun recoveries in New York City for the fourth year in a row.