NYPD Takes Down Alleged Florida-New York Gun Trafficking Ring

NEW YORK (1010 WINS)  -- Two men were arrested in a sting operation on charges they sold in New York City dozens of illegal guns purchased in Florida.


Stan Brooks reports

Watson Joachin, 27 and Ryan Woodard, 22, were arraigned Monday on an indictment that charges them with selling dozens of guns to undercover officers during a three-month investigation. They were held on $750,000 bail. Calls to their attorneys were not immediately returned.

The two were accused of selling or possessing 46 guns, including 28 semiautomatic pistols, six revolvers, and three sawed-off shotguns, said Charles Hynes, Brooklyn district attorney.

Detectives purchased 40 guns in four sales. On the fifth sale, they raided a Brooklyn safe house and found six more guns, plus other weapons sold previously that were recovered on the streets. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the guns were believed to have been bought in Florida and were worth about $40,000. Some were sold for $1,000 when the retail value was only about $200.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg used the opportunity to tout the importance of gun control, among the most important issues in his administration. He fired back at gun-rights activists who have criticized him and the alliance he founded, Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

"There are some extremists in the pro-gun movement who threaten our elected representatives around the country ... to remove them from office if they don't support the line that the extremists want: No reasonable restrictions, no enforcement of federal laws. We just got to say we're not going to take it anymore,'' Bloomberg said.