Ghost Gun Case
Port Jervis Man Charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for Possessing Home-Made Handgun
Defendant Was Creating “Ghost Guns” with No Serial Numbers Using a 3-D Printer
Noah James McCagg, 21, of Port Jervis, was arrested on March 25, 2023, and charged with Criminal Possession of Weapon in the Second Degree for possessing a loaded 9mm pistol on Front Street in Port Jervis at about 1:34 PM on March 25, 2023. The arrest came after a foot pursuit by police on Front Street. Investigation revealed that McCagg, had created the pistol insidehis Prospect Street, Port Jervis, residence using a 3-D printer. McCagg was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Port Jervis City Police, who were aided by the Orange County Drug Task Force. The investigation initially pertained to narcotics. In addition to the loaded pistol which McCagg is charged with possessing, Port Jervis Police also recovered a 3-D printer that McCagg was apparently using to create operable firearms similar to the one he was possessing on Front Street. These home-made guns, which bear no serial numbers, are commonly referred to as “ghost guns” and are becoming more prevalent. The lower part of the pistols can be created out of nylon and plastics using the 3-D printer. Those creating the illegal “ghost guns” add other gun components including barrels and trigger assemblies which are purchased separately. When combined these create fully functional pistols. The printer and gun components were recovered after Port Jervis Police, who were aided by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group, and Town of Deerpark Police Department, when they executed a search warrant at McCagg’s residence. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office aided in the drafting of the search warrant. Due to his prior criminal history, McCagg faces up to fifteen (15) years in prison on the charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
The City of Port Jervis Police Department and Orange County District Attorney’s Office are continuing to investigate whether other “ghost guns” were created at the Prospect Street location, and what became of those guns. Anyone with information is urged to call the City of Port Jervis Police Department.
McCagg was arraigned in the City of Port Jervis Court and is being held in the Orange County Jail in lieu of bail in the amount of $25,000 cash, or $75,000 secured bond, or $100,000 unsecured bond. He is next scheduled to appear in Court on March 29, 2023.
“It is not surprising that illegal weapons were discovered during the course of a narcotics investigation, and I commend the City of Port Jervis Police Department for their proactive work in targeting illegal drugs, as well as the weapons that are invariably found incident to narcotics investigations,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “This case is wake-up call as to the increased availability of illegally obtained pistols in our communities. Working collaboratively with other law enforcement agencies, such as the City of Port Jervis Police Department, the Orange County Drug Task Force, the Town of Deerpark Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we will continue to investigate and prosecute those who illegally create and sell “ghost guns.” Keeping these untraceable guns out of the hands of criminals is the surest way to keep our communities safe.”
“There is considerable concern regarding the threat posed by ghost guns, which are homemade weapons often constructed to sell to persons who otherwise would not be able to legally obtain a firearm,” said City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden. “By obtaining gun parts and blueprints readily available on the internet, ghost gun manufacturers exploit new technology to profit and make our communities less safe by providing yet another avenue for a criminal to obtain an illegalgun. Much like we have done with narcotics traffickers, we will utilize our partnership with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to relentlessly pursue any person who produces or sells illegal and untraceable firearms.”
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alexis Gregory.
Criminal charges are merely allegations that a defendant has committed violations of the criminal law, and as such they are not evidence of guilt. All defendants have a presumption of innocence and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the burden of the State of New York to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.