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A Medford steamfitter stockpiled more than 100 untraceable “ghost” guns and turned his home into a makeshift firearms factory, Suffolk County authorities said.
Daniel Probeck, 35, was arrested after investigators raided his house following a months-long joint investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and Suffolk County Police Department. Prosecutors said the father of two had been operating the illegal gun lab out of the family’s Waverly Avenue home going back to at least March.
It’s the largest ghost gun seizure in Suffolk County history, Suffolk District Attorney Raymond Tierney said.
During a court-authorized search, detectives recovered:
• 112 un-serialized “ghost” guns
• 67 firearm suppressors
• 12 desktop 3-D printers
• Industrial machinery for milling lower receivers
• Thousands of rounds of ammunition and assorted weapon parts
• Accessory gun features banned in New York, such as threaded barrels, pistol grips and telescoping stocks.
Steamfitters union member
Prosecutors said undercover officers purchased multiple firearms from Probeck during the investigation — including three AR-style rifles.
Probeck at his arraignment on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including criminal sale of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon. The alleged ghost-gun kingpin faces up to 25 years in state prison if convicted on the top counts.
Probeck’s attorney John Loturco told Greater Long Island that his client is a lifelong Suffolk resident with no prior criminal convictions who has been with his wife for 17 years and is a 12-year member of the steamfitters union.
“We entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ to the indictment, and we will meticulously scrutinize the evidence by reviewing the discovery to assess our strategy going forward,” Loturco said.
Bail was set for the defendant at $500,000 cash or $3 million bond. He is due back in court on Aug. 5.
The charges
Probeck faces the following charges:
- First-degree criminal sale of a firearm
- First-degree criminal possession of a weapon
- Second-degree criminal sale of a firearm
- Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon
- Four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard Horowitz ordered Probeck held on $500,000 cash, $2,000,000 bond, $3,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney called the raid and arrest a major blow to the shadow gun trade on Long Island,” describing it as the largest ghost-gun seizure in the county’s history.
Ghost guns — which lack serial numbers and can be made at home with 3-D printers or parts kits — are nearly impossible to trace. Their proliferation has been a growing concern for law enforcement agencies across the country.
Top photos: Some of the ammunition allegedly found in Daniel Probeck’s Medford house (SCDA) and Daniel Probeck (inset, Facebook).
