Attorney General Letitia James and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a 71-count indictment on Jan. 14 charging an Orlando, Florida, man with running an interstate gun-shipping operation that funneled firearms and untraceable “ghost gun” components into the New York City area through the U.S. mail.

The defendant, Lawrence Destefano, is accused of mailing weapons and parts to addresses in Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau County over an extended period, using encrypted communications and cash payments to evade detection. The case is the latest enforcement action targeting what officials call the “iron pipeline” — the flow of guns into New York from states with looser firearms laws.

The charges

The indictment, filed in state court, includes one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree, two counts of criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree, 39 counts of criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree, 28 counts of transport of weapons and dangerous instruments, and one count of criminal sale of a frame or receiver in the second degree.

The frame-or-receiver charge reflects New York’s ban on the unserialized components used to build ghost guns. The first-degree sale counts — the most serious — correspond to the highest-volume or aggravating transactions alleged in the scheme.

How it allegedly worked

According to the Attorney General’s office, Destefano shipped firearms and gun parts via U.S. mail directly to buyers in the metropolitan area. To frustrate tracing, he allegedly shipped components separately so no single package contained a complete weapon, requested payment in cash or money orders rather than traceable electronic transfers, and coordinated sales over the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

Investigators recovered 12 serialized firearms, 2 ghost-gun kits, 28 high-capacity magazines and more than 1,400 rounds of ammunition in connection with the case.

“Untraceable ghost guns put New Yorkers in danger and enable those who are barred from owning guns to obtain deadly weapons,” James said in the announcement.

Tisch credited NYPD investigators with dismantling the route: “Now, because of relentless work of NYPD investigators, this iron pipeline has been shut down.”

A familiar enforcement front

The Destefano indictment fits a broader pattern of New York authorities — both state and federal — targeting out-of-state and ghost-gun supply chains. The Attorney General’s office has previously secured a $7.8 million judgment against the ghost-gun retailer Indie Guns in March 2024, part of a litigation campaign against companies marketing unfinished frames and receivers to New York buyers.

In parallel, federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York have brought a string of trafficking cases out of Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Rockaways, several centered on Polymer 80 kits, 3D-printed components, and “auto sears” or “switches” that convert semi-automatic pistols to fully automatic fire. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has stood up a Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau specifically to address ghost guns and 3D-printed firearms.

Because ghost guns carry no serial numbers, they are difficult to trace from a crime scene back to a buyer, which is what makes mail-order and self-assembly schemes attractive to traffickers and prohibited purchasers alike. The charges against Destefano are allegations; he is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.

Verification

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was charged and with what?
Lawrence Destefano of Orlando, Florida, faces a 71-count indictment including criminal sale of a firearm in the first and third degrees, transport of weapons, conspiracy, and criminal sale of a frame or receiver, announced Jan. 14, 2026 by AG Letitia James and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
What is a ghost gun?
A ghost gun is a privately made firearm assembled from kits or unfinished frames and receivers, lacking a serial number, which makes it untraceable. New York bans the sale and possession of unserialized frames and receivers.
How were the guns moved into New York?
Prosecutors say Destefano used the U.S. mail to ship firearms and components to addresses in Brooklyn, Queens and Nassau County, shipping parts separately and requesting cash or money orders, coordinating over the encrypted app Telegram.
What did investigators recover?
12 serialized firearms, 2 ghost-gun kits, 28 high-capacity magazines and more than 1,400 rounds of ammunition, per the Attorney General's office.