Patchogue man illegally possessed, sold weapons, Suffolk DA says
A search warrant executed Wednesday at defendant Mark Singh's home led to the recovery of seven illegal assault weapons, one of which was loaded, and three illegally configured receivers and parts in the process of being assembled, the Suffolk DA said Friday. Credit: Suffolk County District Attorney's Office
A 35-year-old Patchogue man was ordered held on $150,000 bond or $75,000 cash bail after being arrested this week in connection with an investigation by Suffolk County police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into the illegal possession and sale of weapons, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini announced Friday.
Mark Singh was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal sale of a firearm, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and manufacture of an assault weapon. His next scheduled court date is Monday.
An illegal AR-15 assault rifle allegedly assembled by Singh from legally purchased gun parts is among the weapons involved in the case, Sini said.
"This is an individual who was not legally allowed to possess firearms, and yet he was building and selling his own illegal assault rifles," Sini said in a statement.
"Not only did Mark Singh illegally assemble weapons, he went one step further and engaged in illegal sales," Suffolk police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said in a statement.
Lindsay Patrick Henry, Singh's Babylon-based attorney, said his client "adamantly insists there was no such sale and believes that when all of the facts come to light his innocence will be realized."
Authorities said the arrest followed a previous investigation of the illegal sale of weapons at Chester's Hunting & Fishing, a sporting goods store in Ronkonkoma, in 2018.
That resulted in the arrest of owner Chester Pergan, 54, of St. James, who was indicted on 69 charges related to illegal possession and sale of weapons. Court records show Pergan is next due to appear in court on that ongoing case on July 28.
As part of that investigation, a statement released by Sini said that Singh "was identified by law enforcement as also being involved in the alleged illegal possession and sale of weapons."
Evidence found that on at least one occasion Singh allegedly manufactured the illegal AR-15 then illegally sold the weapon.
A search warrant executed Wednesday at Singh's home led to the recovery of seven illegal assault weapons, one of which was loaded, and three illegally configured receivers and parts in the process of being assembled, Sini said.
Thirteen high-capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, seven illegal knives and tools needed to assemble illegal assault rifles were also recovered.
If convicted, Singh faces up to 15 years in prison.
With Robert Brodsky
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
