CIVIC CENTER — Investigators busted a Virginia gun ring that brought more than 100 weapons into New York up the Interstate 95 "Iron Pipeline" from March through November, officials said Monday.
The ring, led by Virginia Beach resident Clive Dixon, smuggled weapons including assault rifles and shotguns purchased in Virginia, selling the guns for about $1,000 each to an undercover officer during more than 15 different sales in Manhattan and The Bronx, according to investigators.
NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said the fact that "one defendant could so readily obtain more than 100 guns" shows the "scope of the illegal firearms trafficking problem in this country."
#NYPD undercover recovered 86 weapons from Virginia since March in gun ring bust, officials said. pic.twitter.com/9Ba9tsdqZP
— Ben Fractenberg (@fractenberg) December 5, 2016
A tipster alerted the NYPD about Dixon, 28, in March and investigators moved to monitor his phone and social media accounts and set up buys through an undercover detective, officials said.
The undercover officer would buy the weapons after driving to meet Dixon at areas including the Clinton Houses in East Harlem, Forest Houses in The Bronx and once near the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Dixon bought the weapons from Virginia residents Emmanuel Dentmond, 22, Teal Holt, Jr. 27, and Antonio Williams, 27, who sometimes used other straw buyers to purchase the guns from stores, officials said.
Dixon and Williams were busted in Manhattan Sunday night after being indicted on felony criminal sale and possession of firearms charges in connection with 86 of the weapons sold.
The men are facing up to 25 years in prison and were expected to be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court Monday afternoon.
Dentmond and Holt, Jr. were arrested in Virginia Monday morning and were expected to be extradited up to New York, prosecutors said. They are also facing felony gun sale charges.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said the state needs to more severely punish gun sellers.
“Right now, a person who sells 10 illegal guns in New York faces the same penalties as someone who sells 10,000 — a minimum of just five years in prison," Vance said in a statement. "Our proposed Gun Kingpin statute would create an A-1 felony for selling 20 or more illegal firearms, and would carry a minimum sentence of 15-years-to-life in prison."
Officials busted another gun trafficking ring in April, which they said sold 82 weapons including assault rifles purchased in Virginia and Georgia to an undercover officer.
There was no immediate information on lawyers for the four men.
