Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Long Beach man pleaded guilty today to criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree for selling 10 illegal guns, including assault weapons and a ghost gun, in broad daylight in front of his apartment between April and July 2024. Two of the weapons were traced to multiple shootings in Queens and Nassau County that occurred as early as 2021.
James Jayshaun Edwards, 33, pleaded guilty before Judge Robert Schwartz to Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree (a B violent felony) and Criminal Possession of a Firearm (an E felony).
The defendant is expected to be sentenced to seven years in prison with five years of post-release supervision on February 14, 2025. NCDA recommended a sentence of 13 years in prison.
“Today’s guilty plea underscores the strength of this case built by the work of my prosecutors and our law enforcement partners. The overwhelming evidence against him forced this defendant to take accountability for selling nearly a dozen dangerous ghost guns right in front of his home in broad daylight,” said DA Donnelly. “Our investigation continues into locating the source of the guns this defendant was selling on the streets of Long Beach. We will not tolerate the illegal sale of untraceable weapons in our communities that can put the lives of Nassau County residents at risk.”
DA Donnelly said that in April 2024, NCDA began working together with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force (“ATF”), the Long Beach Police Department (“LBPD”), the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and the Nassau County Police Department (“NCPD”), on an investigation into Edwards after receiving a tip that the defendant was selling illegal weapons.
Between April 2024 and July 2024, the defendant sold a total of 10 illegal firearms, including an assault pistol, an AR-15 style “ghost gun,” and multiple pistols and loaded firearms in front of his home on Birch Court in Long Beach.
Nearly all the weapons were loaded, and the defendant sold hundreds of rounds of extra ammunition with the weapons.
Three additional firearms were recovered after a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s home on August 22, 2024.
Ballistics comparisons performed by the ATF on the guns purchased from the defendant showed that two weapons had also been used in multiple shootings in Queens, New York, Roosevelt, Westbury, and Long Beach that took place between August 2021 and June 2022.
The defendant was arrested on August 22, 2024, in Long Beach by members of the LBPD, ATF, and NYPD.
NCDA thanks the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force, the New York City Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department, the Nassau County Police Department, and the New York State Police for their partnership in this investigation and prosecution.
The case is being prosecuted by Narcotics, Firearms and Gangs Deputy Bureau Chief Lee Genser under the supervision of Bureau Chief Nicholas Mauro and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division Rick Whelan. Edwards is represented by Robert Schalk, Esq.