Westbury resident Gerald Pierre, age 40, was arraigned in Nassau County Court on Friday, March 31, for 61 counts relating to owning and selling illegal firearms.
It came two days after he was extradited to Nassau County on Wednesday, March 29 following an unrelated arrest in Pennsylvania, bringing to an end a saga that started when he fled New York over a year prior, prosecutors said.
Between October 2020 and January 2022, Pierre is alleged to have sold a total of 14 illegal firearms in Westbury, Uniondale, and Hempstead. These include semi-automatic rifles, assault weapons, revolvers, and pistols.
The DA claims that nearly all of the firearms sold were already loaded, or were sold with accompanying ammunition. Prosecutors said many of the guns included large-capacity magazines, which can hold up to 60 rounds of ammunition.
In February 2022, Pierre fled Nassau County and a warrant was issued for his arrest, authorities said.
He was arrested by Amtrak Police in Pennsylvania for an unrelated matter on January 10, 2023, preceding his extradition, where police discovered his open arrest warrant.
In total, Pierre is charged with:
- Third-degree criminal sale of a firearm, 28 counts
- Criminal possession of a firearm, 14 counts
- Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, 13 counts
- Third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts
- First-degree criminal sale of a firearm
- Second-degree criminal sale of a firearm
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Pierre is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, April 26.
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