Thirteen people have been convicted and sentenced for their roles in a gun and drug trafficking ring that brought assault-style weapons, ghost guns, cocaine, and ammunition into New York City, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Monday.
The final three defendants — Anthony Ortiz Vasquez, Hector Vasquez, and Kiara Rodriguez — were sentenced after pleading guilty, completing the case against all 13 defendants. The first guilty pleas were entered in February 2025.
The investigation led to the seizure of 74 firearms, including nine assault-style rifles, eight assault-style pistols, and four ghost guns. Authorities also recovered about 500 grams of cocaine, valued at $15,700, and more than 2,100 rounds of ammunition.
“The success of this case is an important reminder that it will take all of us working together to end senseless gun violence in our communities,” James said. “I thank my partners in law enforcement for their invaluable assistance in holding these traffickers accountable and removing dozens of dangerous and illegal guns and narcotics from our streets. My office will continue to do everything in its power to crack down on criminal operations that profit from violence and endanger our city.”
The case followed a 10-month investigation that began in August 2023. Investigators used wiretaps, surveillance, and other investigative methods to uncover a network that moved guns from Florida and New Jersey into Washington Heights, where they were sold.
Prosecutors said Anthony Ortiz Vasquez, 26, of Paterson, New Jersey, led the operation. He bought firearms, high-capacity magazines, ammunition, and illegal rapid-fire conversion devices from several suppliers and sold them in New York City. The group used code words, including “toys,” “sneakers,” and “panties” for guns, “food” for ammunition, and “switches” for conversion devices.
Authorities said the group hid weapons in blankets, reusable shopping bags, and, in one case, a guitar case while transporting them into Manhattan. Prosecutors also said Anthony Ortiz Vasquez sold cocaine supplied by his brother, Hector Vasquez.
Anthony Ortiz Vasquez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for firearm and drug trafficking convictions, followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Hector Vasquez, 38, of Passaic, New Jersey, was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of three and a half years on a firearm conviction and three years on a drug conviction. Both sentences include five years of post-release supervision.
Kiara Rodriguez, 24, of Hackensack, New Jersey, was sentenced to six months in jail followed by the remainder of a five-year probation term.
The remaining defendants received sentences ranging from probation and time served to eight years in prison, depending on their roles in the conspiracy.
“The sentencing and conviction of these 13 individuals, along with the seizure of 74 firearms and cocaine, reflect the strength of the partnerships the DEA shares with our federal, state, and local law enforcement counterparts in targeting those who pose a threat to our communities,” said DEA New York Task Force Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts.
“By moving assault-style weapons, ghost guns, rapid-fire conversion devices, and cocaine from out-of-state and through a single street corner in Washington Heights, these defendants turned our neighborhoods into an open-air market for lethal firepower and narcotics,” said Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas.
“The defendants in this case were part of a brazen trafficking ring that funneled guns and drugs into our communities,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.
“Drug and weapon trafficking has long been a catalyst for violence and other criminal activities that plague our communities,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
