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Ulster County resident Gregg Marinelli, age 39, of Plattekill, a former sergeant with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police, was sentenced on Wednesday, April 21, said Orange County District Attorney Dave Hoovler.
Marinelli had pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon and hindering prosecution in 2019.
At the time that he pleaded guilty, Marinelli admitted that sometime between June 2018, and Sept. 2018, he sold a pistol, which resembled a semi-automatic Glock pistol, to Paul Smith, who was then a lieutenant with the City of Middletown Fire Department.
Smith had been a central figure in a New York State Police enforcement operation dubbed “Operation Bread, White and Blues” which concentrated on members and associates of self-professed “outlaw” motorcycle clubs trafficking cocaine and others who were selling pills.
Marinelli admitted aiding Smith by selling him the gun. The gun, which investigation showed was one that Marinelli had manufactured, had no serial numbers on it, the DA's office said.
That gun, and many of the weapons alleged to have been sold by Marinelli, were “ghost” guns, meaning that he manufactured them without serial numbers, or in some instances were defaced weapons that had their serial numbers removed.
Marinelli was a sergeant with the NYPD of Environmental Protection Police, and a team leader with an emergency service unit located outside of New York City, when he was arrested.
Marinelli was accused of manufacturing dozens of handguns and assault rifles, including at least one fully automatic assault rifle, and selling them to individuals who are legally barred from possessing such weapons, Hoovler said.
Members of the New York State Police, aided by the ATF, executed a search warrant at Marinelli’s home in Plattekill and recovered gun parts, tools used to manufacture weapons, and numerous firearms.
“I am enraged that a police officer would sell exactly the types of weapons that are used to kill innocent people, including police officers, said Hoovler.
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