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Joseph Palumbo Jr., a Columbia resident carried out the illegal manufacture and sale of ghost guns between December 2023 and February 2024, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll and Warren County Prosecutor James Pfeiffer said.
Palumbo Jr. sold the guns, the majority of which were assault firearms, in Morris and Warren Counties, authorities said. The sales involved one homemade handgun without a serial number, five homemade AR platformed assault firearms without serial numbers, and two large-capacity magazines.
Palumbo Jr. was apprehended following a motor vehicle stop, authorities said. A search warrant at Palumbo Jr's home turned up a ghost gun manufacturing facility in his basement, authorities said.
The prosecutor's office said searches were also conducted at Palumbo's Barber Shop in Netcong and Palumbo Jr's vehicle. The barber shop is owned by Joseph Palumbo, Sr, Joseph, Sr. and Barrie Palumbo, who identified themselves in an e-mail to Daily Voice, said.. Palumbo, Jr. has no affiliation with the barber shop, they said.
The prosecutor's office did, however, say that two additional homemade AR platformed assault firearms without serial numbers, approximately 36 additional firearms consisting of assault firearms and handguns, numerous firearms components used to manufacture firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and approximately three firearm silencers were seized in searches of the barber shop and his vehicle.
Authorities did not say what specifically was found in the barber shop, and what was found in the vehicle.
Palumbo, Jr. was charged with numerous weapons offenses. Palumbo, Jr. and Monica Scaglione, a 30-year-old Columbia resident, were also charged with child neglect, after it was determined minor children reside in the home she shares with Palumbo, Jr., where abundance of unsecured firearms and ammunition were located and seized, authorities said.
Palumbo, Jr. has been detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility pending future court proceedings. Scaglione was charged on a summons complaint, processed, and released pending a court appearance, authorities said.
Editor's note: The Morris County Prosecutor's Office in an initial release said that a raid was conducted at the defendant's barbershop in Netcong. Palumbo's family, however, says that he has no affiliation with the shop. The prosecutor's office maintains that the shop was, in fact, raided, but edited their release to remove any affiliation between the defendant and the barber shop.
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