NANUET – Two people have been arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal firearms. Two handguns, ammunition and parts of a ghost gun were seized during a raid on their home, authorities said Wednesday.
Authorities arrested Vivian Wu and Tao Zhang on multiple counts of possession of a firearm, as well as endangering the welfare of two children who lived in their home. The firearms were not stored securely and were within reach of the children, ages 7 and 9, the Rockland District Attorney’s Office said in a news release Wednesday.
“This investigation is an important step in our ongoing efforts to combat illegal firearms in Rockland County,” said District Attorney Thomas Walsh.
Rockland authorities executed a search warrant on the home Tuesday with three federal agencies, the New York State Police and the Clarkstown Police Department. The home’s address was not released.
The investigation began when federal authorities learned that numerous illegal firearm parts had been shipped to Nanuet’s home. They also learned that Zhang had previously been convicted of a felony in 2015, authorities said.
During Tuesday’s raid, detectives seized two loaded semi-automatic handguns with no serial numbers, three high-capacity magazines, five major firearm components and a large quantity of unserialized parts.
The search warrant was executed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations New York Special Response Team, the United States Postal Inspections Services, the Clarkstown Police Department, the New York State Police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.
Zhang and Wu, both 35, face the following charges:
∎ Two counts of second-degree possession of a firearm and two counts of third-degree possession of a firearm in connection with the two semi-automatic 9mm pistols;
∎ Three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm in connection with the three high-capacity magazines: two Glock-style 9mm magazines with a capacity of 31 and one AR-15-style 5.56/.223-caliber magazine with a capacity of 30);
∎ five counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a firearm in connection with the firearm components;
∎ 65 counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for unserialized ghost gun parts.
Zhang and Wu were both remanded to the Rockland County Jail on $50,000 bail, $100,000 surety and $200,000 partial bail by Clarkstown Justice Leslie Kahn. Supervising Assistant District Attorney Michael Peterson and Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Reilly are prosecuting the case.
Walsh said the two arrests underscore a focus on ensuring a “community that is safe from gun violence.”
Ivan J. Arvelo, special agent with HSI New York, said the arrests and seizures demonstrate that multi-agency cooperation can work.
“Our efforts resulted in the arrest of these individuals, one of whom had previously been convicted of a felony, who received shipments of gun parts to allegedly build his own ghost guns,” Arvelo said. “This operation sends a message that illegal firearms activity will be addressed with the full force of our combined resources and expertise.”
Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegal
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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Two arrested, multiple weapons and parts seized in Nanuet raid
