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Mount Vernon resident Robert Culton was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for his illegal possession of a ghost gun, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Friday, Nov. 17.
According to the DA's Office, on Aug. 15, 2021, around 5:15 p.m., Culton was found to be in possession of an un-serialized loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol on South 1st Avenue in Mount Vernon after the city's police department was notified of possible gunshots near the intersection with East 3rd Street.
During their investigation into the incident, the department found the ghost gun in a nearby backyard and arrested Culton later in the evening at Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital.
Culton had been linked to the firearm thanks to DNA forensics and surveillance video. He did not have a permit to legally purchase or possess guns in New York at the time of his arrest.
Culton was found guilty of second-degree and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in September 2023. After his sentence is finished, he will also be required to serve five years of post-release supervision.
"This outcome demonstrates our commitment to removing dangerous weapons from our communities, to prevent gun violence, and our promise to vigorously prosecute those who illegally possess firearms," Westchester District Attorney Miriam Rocah said of the sentencing.
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