Long Beach man indicted in gun trafficking investigation

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced the indictment of 33-year-old James Jayshaun Edwards Wednesday for allegedly selling 10 illegal firearms, including "ghost guns," outside his Long Beach apartment between April and July this year.

The alleged weapons included eight handguns and two assault rifles, and Edwards also allegedly sold approximately 20 grams of cocaine to a buyer.

“When Edwards was arrested last week, three additional weapons were recovered during the search of his residence,” Donnelly said. “Charges for those weapons are now pending. These sales took place right outside the defendant's apartment on Birch Court. Brazenly, Edwards would package up high-powered weapons in duffel bags and even diaper boxes, selling them out in the open in broad daylight.”

Edwards was arraigned on Aug. 22 on multiple charges, including both first and second-degree criminal sale of a firearm — and 20 counts in the third-degree — 10 counts of criminal possession of weapon in the second degree, six counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, 10 counts of criminal possession of a firearm, criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second and third degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Edwards pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at $500,000 cash, $750,000 bond, and $1.5 million partially secured bond. Edwards is due back in court on Sept. 20. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Ballistic tests conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives on firearms reportedly acquired from Edwards revealed that two of the guns Edwards allegedly sold were linked to several shootings in Queens, Roosevelt, Westbury, and Long Beach, spanning from Aug. 2021 to June 2022. Additionally, one of these firearms has been connected to three separate shooting incidents in Nassau County, where four individuals sustained injuries. The Nassau County District Attorney's Office is currently prosecuting these cases, with charges including multiple counts of second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault.

“This is a significant number of firearms removed from the streets of the city of Long Beach,” Long Beach Police Commissioner Richard DePalma said. “In fact, our last homicide involving a firearm was steps away from where these firearms were recovered. So, we really want to thank Anne Donnelly, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, the ATF, the NYPD, and the Nassau County police for helping make these streets safer.”

The investigation determined that some of the guns were recently purchased in the South and trafficked to Nassau County through the iron pipeline, according to Donnelly. The investigation into the suppliers is currently ongoing. Since Jan., law enforcement in Nassau County has confiscated 223 illegal firearms, reflecting a 14.5 percent reduction compared to the same timeframe last year.

The prosecution of this case is led by Unit Chief Lee Genser from the Firearms Suppression and Intelligence Unit within the Narcotics, Firearms, and Gangs Bureau. This effort is being overseen by Bureau Chief Nicholas Mauro, with Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division, Rick Whelan, providing overall supervision. The defendant is being represented by attorney Robert Schalk Esq. The charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.