Buffalo man arrested for ghost gun, body armor, SAFE violation

[subsonic]

Note the only assault weapon charge was for "One of the long rifles was found partially disassembled, but fit the definition of an assault weapon once reassembled." In other words this guy was compliant on all his long guns. He was screwed for pistols without a permit including a loaded pistol on his person, but they charged him with the SAFE act violation based on putting together some parts. Also he was under investigation and they had a search warrant for some reason. Other than lacking the pistol permit there is nothing reported as to why this man is in jail in lieu $150,000 cash bail for a violent felony. While other violent felons are being routinely released without bail.

Stay safe!

Buffalo Man Indicted After Search Warrant Uncovers Arsenal of Firearms, Magazines, Ammunition and Gun-Making Tools | Erie County District Attorney's Office

www2.erie.gov

Buffalo Man Indicted After Search Warrant Uncovers Arsenal of Firearms, Magazines, Ammunition and Gun-Making Tools​

6/27/2022
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 29-year-old Joshua Gotthart of Buffalo was arraigned on Friday afternoon before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case on an indictment charging him with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felonies) and one count of Unlawful Wearing of a Body Vest (Class “E” felony).

The defendant was the subject of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department Intelligence Unit. It is alleged that on Thursday, April 28, 2022, at approximately 8:54 a.m., investigators observed the defendant, who was the subject of a search warrant, leave his residence on Wright Avenue in the City of Buffalo and drive away in a vehicle. A traffic stop was initiated nearby where the defendant was taken into custody without incident. Investigators allegedly found an illegal, loaded handgun, considered a “ghost gun,” in a holster on the defendant’s right hip. The defendant, who is accused of committing a felony offense by being in possession of the illegal firearm, was allegedly wearing a bullet-resistant body vest at the time of his arrest.

Buffalo Police Intelligence Unit detectives executed the search warrant at the defendant’s residence where they allegedly recovered three unregistered handguns inside of a bedroom. Investigators also allegedly found 17 long rifles, 8 shotguns and magazines as well as gun-making tools and a large amount of ammunition in various locations inside of the house. One of the long rifles was found partially disassembled, but fit the definition of an assault weapon once reassembled.

Gotthart is scheduled to return on Monday, July 11, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. for a pre-trial conference. He remains held on bail set at $150,000 cash, bond or partially secured bond.

If convicted of all charges, Gotthart faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department Intelligence Unit for their work in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Timothy J. Garvin of the Narcotics/Intelligence Unit.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Buffalo man arraigned on weapons and illegal body armor charges

A Buffalo man was arraigned Friday in Erie County Court on an indictment charging him with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of unlawfully

buffalonews.com

Buffalo man arraigned on weapons and illegal body armor charges​

Buffalo man arraigned on illegal weapons, body vest charges

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A 29-year-old Buffalo man was arraigned on an indictment Friday in Erie County Court, after being found in possession of a “ghost gun” and wearing a bullet-…

www.wivb.com

Buffalo man arraigned on illegal weapons, body vest charges​

Edit: Another story links this to four other arrests in a multiagency investigation also involving drugs.

MSN

www.msn.com

Search warrant nets dozens of illegal guns, ammo, drugs and five arrests

 

[jimc]

'One of the long rifles was found partially disassembled, but fit the definition of an assault weapon once reassembled.'

Next up- Man with 0.0 BAC arrested at home for DWI after found to have a bottle of wine in a cabinet and car keys on a table next to the front door...

 

[Apeman]

'One of the long rifles was found partially disassembled, but fit the definition of an assault weapon once reassembled.'

Next up- Man with 0.0 BAC arrested at home for DWI after found to have a bottle of wine in a cabinet and car keys on a table next to the front door...

Exactly. Why not charge someone with DWI when they get into their car after walking out of a store with a 12 pack?

That "assault weapon" charge needs to be fought to the end. Let's say you have 2 ARs. One with a pinned mag with a muzzle device and the other was made compliant with a detachable mag. Cops swap the uppers and charge you. Bullshit charge.

Why not charge him with bomb making because he had some pipe in his house?

 

[dwa12479]

Im curious as to the further backstory. He was "observed leaving his house", then a traffic stop followed and viola! , all kinds of stuff turns up... sounds like he was under investigation for something.

They way they sensationalized the "arsenal" is pretty cheesy. Im sure many of us would put that collection to shame...

 

[kev74]

So... gun making tools are verboten now? Oh boy...

 

[ManualF150]

You mean I better go hide my lathe and my milling machine?

 

[dsdmmat]

They way they sensationalized the "arsenal" is pretty cheesy. Im sure many of us would put that collection to shame...

Those were definitely rookie numbers. I think I had more guns than that when I was in high school.

 

[pshift]

He was already under investigation before they did the traffic stop. I'm sure that they had 'probable cause'.

 

[C3D]

There is case law in New York about operability of a firearm as being necessary to sustain a charge for CPW. For example, an AR-15 with no bolt carrier group would not be an assault weapon because it is not operable.

However parts that can be readily assembled back into a “firearm” (as defined under the Penal Law) have been found to be sufficient for a CPW charged yo be sustained.

 

[GOPerfect]

I gotta wait for all of the details on this. All of those stories posted are still not filling in all of the blanks as the the Who, the What, the Where, the when and most importantly... The Why.

Too many parts missing.

 

[subsonic]

Look at the last link, allegedly he and four others were under grand jury indictment and there was an arrest and search warrant executed as part of a multiagency investigation for moving drugs and guns involving feds, county and city at least.

 

[Deplorable Me]

Gun making tools?

 

[meketrefe]

Were body and armor both together?
Were the ghost and the gun also found in the same place at the same time?

 

[spat]

Were body and armor both together?
Were the ghost and the gun also found in the same place at the same time?

They found a bone stock 870 in his safe and a hacksaw in his garage, so they are going to tack on an charge for the sawed off shotgun too.

 

[meketrefe]

They found a bone stock 870 in his safe and a hacksaw in his garage, so they are going to tack on an charge for the sawed off shotgun too.

So what happens to the many hunters and wildcatters who have spare barrels, reamers, hunting stock vs xonpetition stock, etc?....

 

[Xae289]

Were body and armor both together?
Were the ghost and the gun also found in the same place at the same time?

When the ghost and the gun are in the same place, that's when you gotta be scared.

 

[omfgrub]

Straw purchasers and drug dealers are scumbags and get zero sympathy from me.
But the problem I have with these headlines are the vilification of: sporting rifles (assembled or not), quantity of a protected item outlined in the Bill of Rights, and the goddamn fucking asinine description of body armor as being illegal (whether technically and only recently correct or not). I know I'm preaching to the choir, but this makes my blood boil.

 

[Acer-m14]

question .. did he shoot anyone .. LOL ..

 

[Apeman]

I don't think anyone here is going to argue that the guy isn't an idiot. He was already under surveillance for his actions. The add on charges are the problem. They're assembling his gun parts and then charging him for them.

 

[fresch]

If you have pounds of powder, thousands of primers, thousands of bullets, hundreds of brass, is that parts or ammo?

 

[meketrefe]

If you have pounds of powder, thousands of primers, thousands of bullets, hundreds of brass, is that parts or ammo?

Almost Anyone who competes is in that situation. The higher up in rank the more is spent in training. Even sponsored guys reload to train.

 

[BerettaGuy]

Democrats believe that someday, they will get 100% gun confiscation!
This is why the war on Ghost Guns is being waged today!
Who is playing along? The media.
I mean "we" know that 100 percent confiscation is really impossible but they are linear thinking lemmings. This is what they believe. They "believe" we can get them all! Except for pesky Ghost Guns. So what better thing to do than whip up some good ole fashion hysteria!