Three Venezuelan migrants — together with a baby-faced Tren de Aragua chief — openly peddled unlawful pistols, shotguns, riles and ghost weapons throughout New York Metropolis, prosecutors alleged.
The accused ringleader Stefano Pachon, 21, and his two confederates shuffled right into a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday to face gun trafficking conspiracy costs outlined in a 31-count indictment.
Pachon, who racked up an extended rap sheet since he arrived within the Large Apple from Venezuela in late 2023, bought 9 completely different loaded weapons throughout the months-long caper, prosecutors mentioned.
“The defendant has entry to a seemingly countless provide of loaded weapons,” mentioned Assistant District Lawyer Yuval Simchi-Levi. “This defendant bought the weapons whereas out on a bench warrant.”
The indictment sprang from a probe into Victor Parra, 30, the chief of an interstate migrant moped gang who spent three months as a fugitive earlier than he was busted by NYPD cops in Could.
Parra this week pleaded responsible to grand larceny costs, court docket data present.
Proof within the case towards Parra finally led to the gun-trafficking ring allegedly led by Pachon, an alleged high-ranking member of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang, prosecutors mentioned.
Along with Darwin Figuera, 34, and Yorman Serrano, 31, and a fourth as-yet-unnamed defendant, Pachon trafficked an arsenal of high-quality firearms over WhatsApp, in response to prosecutors.
One semi-automatic weapon bought was geared up with a “sear change” that might flip it into an automated weapon, prosecutors mentioned.
They bought 11 weapons, authorities mentioned.
Pachon would negotiate the acquisition and worth for many weapons, with gross sales unfolding throughout the Bronx and an East Harlem fuel station at East one hundred and twenty fifth Avenue and Second Avenue, officers mentioned.
The trio that appeared in court docket Wednesday hail from Venezuela and all pleaded not responsible.
Pachon’s lawyer Michael Fineman tried taking part in up how he’s an “asylum seeker” and that he falls underneath sure protections, however Choose Althea Drysdale rapidly minimize him off and corrected his bail utility.
“Most respectfully, I don’t know if that must be a part of your utility,” Drysdale shot again. “Simply because all [the accused] hail from Venezuela doesn’t imply you get to be an asylum seeker.”
The decide ordered Pachon to be held with out bail for his “arrest-rich rap sheet,” which incorporates allegedly stealing from a Queens Sephora.
Figuera, who shuffled into court docket carrying a pair of girls’s Cheetah-printed Adidas slides, was held on $50,000 money bail.
Serrano, who alleged tried to promote his personal ghost gun, had his bail set at $75,000.