New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced the indictment of three individuals involved in a gun trafficking operation that illegally sold 184 firearms in Queens County. The indictment includes 579 counts against Deundre Wright, 22, Abner Sparkes, 31, and Ethan Charles, 22, all from Queens, New York. They are charged with trafficking various firearms and ammunition from Goldsboro, North Carolina to New York City.
Attorney General James stated, “The majority of guns used in crimes in New York City are illegally trafficked from other states with lax gun laws along the Iron Pipeline and are fueling deadly gun violence in our communities.” She emphasized the significance of this investigation in curbing illegal gun sales.
The operation was dismantled through a joint effort involving the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s New York Strikeforce. This included members of the NYPD’s DEA Firearms Task Force who utilized controlled purchase operations and surveillance methods during their investigation.
From March to July 2024, Deundre Wright reportedly sourced firearms from North Carolina and transported them by bus to Queens. The weapons were stored at friends' homes or vehicles in Jamaica, Queens. Sales were conducted by Abner Sparkes at specific locations while Wright monitored nearby.
On August 8, investigators detained Wright and Charles in Manhattan as they exited a bus carrying suitcases filled with firearms including shotguns and an inoperable rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
The indictment unsealed before Judge Leigh Cheng charges them with multiple offenses such as Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree. If convicted on any count related to these charges, each defendant could face up to 25 years imprisonment.
DEA Special Agent Frank Tarentino remarked on how drug and gun violence often coincide: “The removal of over 150 firearms...just made the streets of New York City...safer.” NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas G. Donlon added that disrupting such networks remains a priority for city safety efforts.
The Office of the Attorney General acknowledged contributions from various law enforcement agencies including those from North Carolina which assisted significantly throughout this investigation.
Key figures leading this case include DEA New York Strikeforce’s Task Force Officer Ryan Foy under NYPD supervision; OCTF Detectives Andrew Scala and Bradford Farrell under OCTF supervision; Assistant Deputy Attorney General Ann Lee prosecuting under Downstate OCTF Deputy Chief Lauren Abinanti's guidance among others involved across different divisions within OAG led by Jennifer Levy overseeing both Investigations Division & Division for Criminal Justice respectively.