Alvin Bragg, the District Attorney of Manhattan, has addressed what he calls a “very disturbing” turn of events. A recent indictment was announced, involving an individual who was found selling “ghost weapons” from inside a federal prison.
The individual in question is Hayden Espinosa, a 24-year-old who was previously incarcerated in a Louisiana federal prison for unauthorized sales of machine gun parts. After his release, he was indicted by an undercover officer from the New York City Police Department for selling guns and components without the necessary state registrations.
Espinosa’s arrest on June 4 resulted from transporting four weapons – a firearm, machine gun, silencer, and disguise gun, and attempted criminal sale of firearm in third degree, all classified as class D felonies.
Allegations suggest Espinosa maintained a Telegram Channel named “3D Amendment,” where activities linked to ghost guns, illegal firearms, and extremist ideologies were promoted. The channel was dubbed as an “extremist hotbed” by Bragg’s office, promoting racist or ethnically charged content.
During a news conference, Bragg expressed his concerns about the association between gun crimes, trafficking, and acts of extremism. He emphasized the urgent need to halt this pattern.
Espinosa is accused of managing the Telegram channel from prison, utilizing smuggled contraband mobile phones. Reportedly, he attempted to sell weapons to an undercover NYPD officer multiple times between August and November 2023.
According to Rebecca Weiner of the NYPD, investigations into this network were initiated after a tragic incident in Buffalo, New York in 2022, where ten Black individuals lost their lives in a shooting spree.
Ghost guns are typically created using 3D printing technology or kits of gun parts, which enable individuals to assemble firearms at home. Such guns are prohibited in New York due to the lack of serial number registrations.
Bragg, who has been committed to combatting ghost guns since taking office in 2022, recently gained attention for successfully prosecuting Donald Trump for criminal activities.
In a separate incident last month, the District Attorney’s office apprehended an individual charged with producing and firing weapons in Central Park.
Espinosa, currently residing in Louisiana, is set for an arraignment hearing scheduled for June 24 in New York. The investigation involved collaboration between New York officials and federal agencies like the Postal Inspection Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.