DA’s Ghost Gun Unit catches Brooklyn man buying parts off of Ebay

January 30, 2023 Rob Abruzzese

District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Photo: Mary Altaffer/AP.

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District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s Office is doing what it can to stop the scourge of ghost guns in Brooklyn and that means targeting people buying parts off Ebay.

The DA’s Office announced on Wednesday that it has indicted 49-year-old Dexter Nurse, who is from Prospect Lefferts Gardens, for allegedly purchasing dozens of gun parts on eBay capable of being built into illegal, untraceable firearms known as ghost guns.

Nurse allegedly made 56 firearm related purchases on Ebay from January 2022 to October 2022, and four fully assembled handguns were allegedly recovered from his apartment. Police also found 9mm rounds of ammunition, as well as tools and polymer parts to make additional guns. He also had a machine press for making ammunition, according to the DA’s Office.

“This defendant allegedly assembled four handguns and acquired the parts and tools to make more, illustrating the ease with which someone can obtain and make these lethal and untraceable weapons, and the increasing threat they pose to public safety,” Gonzalez said.

“Eradicating deadly ghost guns from Brooklyn is a priority for my office, and we are committed to holding accountable anyone who traffics, makes, or possesses them.”

Nurse was arraigned on Wednesday in front of Justice Matthew Sciarrino and was charged with second, third, and fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, prohibition on unfinished frames or receivers and unlawful possession of pistol ammunition. Bail was set at $250,000 bond. Nurse will return to court on April 11.

The defendant allegedly had gun parts shipped directly from Ebay to his Brooklyn apartment. A search warrant of his apartment was executed on Nov. 29, 2022.