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Florida Man Charged with Shipping Ghost Guns to NY

1/17/2026

Center

Florida Man Charged

The Florida man Lawrence Destefano faces 71 charges for illegally shipping firearms and ghost guns to New York after a three-month investigation found he used encrypted messages to advertise and send items, including 12 firearms and over 1,400 rounds of ammunition to various locations in New York.
Attorney General Letitia James emphasized the danger posed by untraceable ghost guns.
NYPD is increasing security at Staten Island churches after disturbances.

Right

NYPD Seizes Firearms

Gun confiscations in New York City's subway surged 148% in 2025 from 2021.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) seized 77 firearms in 2025.
The city saw a historic drop in gun violence citywide, attributed to heightened police presence and community reporting.
2025 remained the city’s safest year for gun violence despite the rise in gun seizures and the transit system’s crime decreasing by 4%.

Left

Teen Arrested for Firearm

A 14-year-old boy was arrested after a firearm was found in his backpack during a fight at MS 371 School of Earth Exploration and Discovery in Harlem, the third gun found in New York City schools this week.
Two other students in Manhattan and Queens were arrested for carrying firearms earlier this week.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) noted that none of the involved schools have metal detectors.

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Florida Man Charged

The Florida man Lawrence Destefano faces 71 charges for illegally shipping firearms and ghost guns to New York after a three-month investigation found he used encrypted messages to advertise and send items, including 12 firearms and over 1,400 rounds of ammunition to various locations in New York.
Attorney General Letitia James emphasized the danger posed by untraceable ghost guns.
NYPD is increasing security at Staten Island churches after disturbances.

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