A Brooklyn gunrunner who carried illegal weapons in a guitar case was busted in an investigation that netted 154 guns and resulted 11 indictments
Undercover cops bought the armory of assault rifles, shotguns, and handguns – one of which was used in a New York City homicide – in three operations, said the NYPD and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
“A single pull of the trigger and this weapon fires 550 rounds per minute,” said Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes as he held a black machine gun aloft. “You can imagine what the cops are up against with that thing on the street.”
In “Operation V-8”, David “Juice” Augustine, 24, allegedly sold 51 guns he hid in a soft-shelled guitar case to undercover NYPD cops in broad daylight in East Flatbush. He faces 25 years in prison if convicted.
In “Operation Trini”, Kerwin “Trini” Gobin sold undercover cops 87 guns in Crown Heights. He faces 25 years in prison and six people who supplied Gobin with guns face seven to 15 years.
In the third investigation, “Operation Gates”, Henky Martinez, 34, of Bushwick, sold 16 guns to the undercover cops. He also faces 25 years.
The guns sold for an average price of $1,100 each, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
“Police officers risk their lives doing this, and continue to do it despite the lack of national will to shut down the iron pipeline that floods New York with so many illegal guns,” Kelly said.
When the guns are no longer needed for the investigation they will be melted down to make coat hangers, Kelly said.