Defendants Allegedly Distributed an Assault Rifle,
High-Caliber Handguns
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central
Islip charging Derrick Hughes and Ronald Robinson with a gun trafficking
conspiracy involving the sale of at least 19 firearms, including an AR-15
multi-caliber rifle. The defendants were arrested today. Hughes was arraigned
this afternoon in federal court in Central Islip before United States
Magistrate Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson. Robinson was arraigned this afternoon
at the federal courthouse in Norfolk, Virginia. Both defendants were ordered
detained pending bail hearings.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of New York, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF),
William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of
Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner,
Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the indictment.
“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants’ illegal
trafficking of firearms brought deadly weapons to the streets of Long Island,”
stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “These arrests demonstrate the
commitment by this Office and our law enforcement partners to save lives by
stopping the flow of illegal firearms into New York.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the
Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, New
York State Police and the Hempstead Police Department for their assistance
during this investigation.
“Many gangs rely on illegal weapons to carry out criminal
acts because they’re harder to trace,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge
Sweeney. “The two subjects in this investigation were allegedly trafficking
illegal weapons along the 95 interstate corridor that leads directly onto Long
Island. We are doing more and more every day with our law enforcement partner
agencies to stop this pipeline, and keep deadly weapons out of the hands of
people who shouldn’t have them.”
“The defendants as alleged were part of a scheme that put
illegal firearms onto the streets of their community,” stated ATF Special
Agent-in-Charge Benedict. “ATF works with our federal, state and local
counterparts to disrupt the flow of guns to our streets and prevent violent
crime. I would like to thank all of our partners that made this case possible.
I would also like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecuting
the case.”
“The indictments of both defendants Hughes and Robinson for
illegal firearms trafficking conspiracy is a clear example of the high level of
interagency cooperation during this investigation,” stated NCPD Commissioner
Ryder. “Not only are we taking criminals off the streets, we are also
decreasing the amount of illegal firearms that enter our state and county.
Every illegal firearm that we confiscate is another positive step on how we
protect our residents and Police Officers. I would like to congratulate all of
the investigative agencies and their dedicated members who played a role in
this case.”
According to the indictment, the gun-trafficking operation
involved at least seven illegal firearms transactions on Long Island between
January 2018 and April 2018, with transactions taking place in Rosedale and
Valley Stream. Robinson allegedly purchased two to three firearms at a time in
Virginia, and within days, transported them for distribution in New York.
Hughes arranged meetings with customers for the illegal sale of the firearms.
If convicted, Hughes and Robinson face a maximum sentence of
five years’ imprisonment. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and
the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case
is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all
levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent
crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff
Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on
targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in
partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local
community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent
crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long
Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Monica K. Castro is
in charge of the prosecution.
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