TWO BRONX MEN CHARGED WITH NUMEROUS SALES OF ILLEGAL FIREARMS TO UNDERCOVER DETECTIVES DURING A FIVE MONTH LONG JOINT INVESTIGATION WITH THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that two Bronx residents have been indicted for allegedly selling handguns and assault rifles to undercover New York City Police Detectives on 10 occasions during a five month period in 2009. The investigation was initiated as a result of information obtained by the NYPD Firearms Investigation Unit.
The grand jury charged Gabriel Sosa, 23, of 1420 Washington Avenue, with a total of 21 counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the 1st and 3rd degrees and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd and 3rd degrees.
Dominic Nesby, 18, also of 1420 Washington Avenue, was indicted on four counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the 3rd degree and one count each of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd and 3rd degrees.
The charges in this indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sosa is facing a maximum sentence of up to 25 years imprisonment if convicted of the most serious offense, Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the 1st degree. Sosa and Nesby are also facing a maximum term of up to 7 years imprisonment on each count if convicted of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the 3rd degree. The defendants are also facing up to 7 years imprisonment on each count If convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd degree. If convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd degree, Sosa and Nesby would be facing a maximum sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment on each count. Nesby has been charged with acting-in-concert with Sosa in four of the illegal gun sales to undercover police officers.
Sosa was arraigned on the indictment before State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Dawson who ordered that the defendant be held without bail. Nesby is currently being held on $25,000 bond or $7,500 cash bail, and is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on March 8, 2010 in Part A.
All but one of the gun sales took place in a parked car in front of the defendants’ residence on Washington Avenue. Several of the transactions were captured on video. The first of the illegal sales occurred on March 24, 2009. The last sale was made on July 14, 2009. The undercover detectives paid a total of $9,600 for 2 assault rifles and 9 handguns.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robert Caliendo of the Rackets Bureau.
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