A significant firearms seizure operation has led to the indictment of Hayden Espinosa, a 24-year-old federal inmate, for selling illegal firearms and components from prison. Manhattan District Attorney Bragg announced that Espinosa, a neo-Nazi, used smuggled cellphones to manage the operation through a Telegram channel. The operation involved multiple government agencies and was uncovered after an undercover NYPD officer posed as a buyer. Espinosa is accused of selling or attempting to sell ghost guns and parts from August to November 2023 and using the U.S. Postal Service for shipments. Authorities also revealed that Espinosa was running a black market machine gun trade behind bars. The case highlights the ongoing issue of illegal firearms trafficking from within federal prisons.
A man was arrested after police say he is responsible for breaking into two out-of-state police cruisers and stealing police equipment, including a ballistic vest and helmet, a taser, ammunition and a high-powered patrol rifle. https://t.co/ZpOPWGPrcS
Police arrest Queens man with 2 axes, whip and NYPD vest, officials say https://t.co/00zDgcKX3O
BREAKING: NYPD uncovers cache of weapons during traffic stop in East Elmhurst https://t.co/fk8n4XfeIw https://t.co/EG0YzCGRdN
NYPD uncovers cache of weapons during traffic stop in East Elmhurst https://t.co/HYYt9U7cBV https://t.co/2MuCvadNCm
NYC man who expressed Jihadist views busted with arsenal of weapons with ominous message scrawled on baton: sources https://t.co/75NUgkyFZm https://t.co/9pXNy0HGjQ
Brooklyn Man Charged With Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy https://t.co/LXpb7ImBLe (Announced with @ATFNewYork and @NYPDnews)
He is accused of using cell phones to sell or attempt to sell weapons and parts to an undercover NYPD officer from August to November 2023 and attempting to use the U.S. Postal Service to ship them. https://t.co/7pSKpkVLXD
Federal inmate caught running black market machine gun trade behind bars, authorities say https://t.co/0Yq2mWyLrX
In what was a stunning gun bust, the Manhattan district attorney said a neo-Nazi prisoner allegedly sold ghost guns and parts from behind bars — only getting caught after one of his customers was an undercover NYPD officer https://t.co/zC3NTHum1C
Man accused of peddling guns, gun parts from prison to extremists https://t.co/UdlyyYELkB https://t.co/m1022V3nj5
A significant firearms seizure operation was conducted by multiple government agencies. The alleged mastermind of this operation is believed to have been managing it from a federal prison and distributing weapons through a Telegram group. https://t.co/hnFgtHQem4
Today Manhattan DA Braggs of indictment of HAYDEN ESPINOSA, 24, for selling illegal firearms and components from federal prison. ESPINOSA sold and advertised these items through a Telegram channel using cellphones that were smuggled into prison. Federal case? https://t.co/bz4qNNHP6p
Police arrest robbery suspect, find weapons, body armor, ammunition. https://t.co/ACG00YISdH