Southeast Queens man arraigned on weapons charges after cops search his 'ghost car' near LaGuardia Airport: DA – QNS

A Hollis man has been criminally charged after police discovered a cache of weapons in his vehicle during a traffic stop. He was arrested for driving a “ghost car” with obscured license plates in East Elmhurst, near LaGuardia Airport, in the early morning hours of June 12.

Judd Sanson, 27, of Jamaica Avenue, was held without bail after being arraigned in Queens Criminal Court Thursday afternoon on a criminal complaint charging him with multiple counts of possession of weapons, illegal possession of pistol or revolver ammunition and illegal use of a police uniform or emblem and other crimes after the arsenal was found in his SUV.

According to the charges, around 1:25 a.m. Wednesday, Sanson was observed driving a black 2013 Ford Explorer with black film covering his rear license plate and stopped by police from Elmhurst's 110th Precinct at from 86th Street and 23rd Avenue. An NYPD officer approached the SUV and saw a black handle protruding from a holster attached to Sanson's right pant leg. He was asked if he had a knife and Sanson replied: “Sorry, I'll take it off.” There are a lot of drunk people these days. I live in Jamaica. I was visiting my uncle.

Sanson removed the black knife with a black handle from the holster and placed it near the center console of his vehicle,” according to the criminal complaint.

The NYPD sergeant and three officers assigned to the public safety team searched the vehicle. They recovered a black Glock 9mm semi-automatic firearm loaded with 12 rounds in a holster located under the driver's seat. Also recovered were nine loaded magazines, each capable of being loaded into a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, as well as 127 9mm rounds contained in a bag placed in the rear passenger seat. Of the nine magazines, four were high-capacity feeders. An extendable black stick was also found with the words “Leave me no choice”, “You will learn today” and an Arabic phrase meaning “Ask God for forgiveness” engraved on the handle. Other weapons were found hanging from the SUV's ceiling. A bulletproof vest with an NYPD patch and an orange New York City Transit reflective vest.

“We have to protect our city,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said after Sanson’s arraignment. “When a person is arrested and has a loaded semi-automatic weapon, more than 170 rounds of ammunition in total, multiple weapons, body armor, an NYPD patch and an MTA vest within a few blocks of the airport, we We are very worried.”

The New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and other law enforcement agencies have been notified of the matter. Queens Criminal Court Judge Julieta Lozano ordered Sanson held without bail and ordered him to return to court on June 17. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
“This investigation is ongoing,” Katz said. “And I thank the NYPD for apprehending the defendant during a routine traffic stop before anything else happened.”