A shocking revelation surfaced this week as a veteran NYPD detective, Anthony Sciortino, was arrested for allegedly manufacturing ghost guns and hoarding an arsenal of unregistered firearms inside his Staten Island residence. The 35-year-old detective, who has served on the force for 13 years and is currently assigned to the department’s 120th Precinct, was arraigned on a 16-count indictment that spans back to 2020.
Authorities discovered 19 illegal firearms during a raid on Sciortino’s home in Prince’s Bay, including a machine gun and an assault weapon. Four of the weapons were untraceable ghost guns lacking serial numbers on their lower receivers. Additionally, Sciortino purportedly failed to report the make, model, caliber, and serial numbers of the other 15 guns to the NYPD within the required 10-day period after obtaining them.
District Attorney Michael E. McMahon expressed grave concern over the situation, emphasizing the dangers posed by unregistered firearms and ghost guns. He underscored the inherent risks associated with such weapons, citing their potential for causing harm to the community. Moreover, Sciortino allegedly abused his position as an NYPD detective to access personnel records for unauthorized purposes.
The charges against Sciortino include manufacturing weapons and dangerous instruments, failure to report firearm sales or registrations, falsifying business records, and computer trespass. Although prosecutors requested a bail amount of $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond, the judge decided to grant Sciortino supervised release during his arraignment.
Following his arrest, Sciortino was suspended without pay by the NYPD. He is scheduled to appear in court on January 16. Despite the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the gravity of the allegations against Sciortino cannot be understated. McMahon condemned the detective’s actions, stating that they not only undermine the integrity of law enforcement but also erode public trust in the criminal justice system, ultimately compromising the safety of those they are sworn to protect and serve.
