Astoria brothers Andrew and Angelo Hatziagelis charged with keeping arsenal, homemade explosives
Improvised explosive devices prosecutors said were found at the apartment of two brothers in Astoria, Queens, on Jan. 17. Credit: AP/Queens District Attorney's Office
Investigators from the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Police Department seized an “arsenal” earlier this month from the Astoria apartment of a Great Neck Public Schools security guard and his brother, authorities said Monday.
Andrew Hatziagelis, 39, and Angelo Hatziagelis, 51, were charged with criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes in a 130-count indictment, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. They are scheduled to return to court on Feb. 15.
Investigators discovered a hit list that identified police officers, judges, politicians and celebrities as targets. They also found a weapons cache that included eight bombs, two ghost gun AR-15s, four 9 mm semiautomatic ghost gun pistols and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition at the brothers’ 36th Avenue apartment complex, which is across the street from a Con Edison power plant.
Members of the NYPD Bomb Squad responded to the building while officials served the search warrant and evacuated the structure because of the live explosives, officials said.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Authorities seized an “arsenal” earlier this month from the home of two Astoria brothers, as well as a hit list with the names of police officers, judges, politicians and celebrities.
- Andrew Hatziagelis and Angelo Hatziagelis were charged with criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes in a 130-count indictment.
- Investigators found a weapons cache that included eight bombs, two ghost gun AR-15s, four 9 mm semiautomatic ghost gun pistols and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition.
The two men have been detained and are awaiting arraignment, Katz said in a statement.
Andrew Hatziagelis’ attorney, Naira Grigoryan, and Angelo Hatziagelis' attorney, Alisha Babar, did not immediately return requests for comment.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. Prosecutors said investigators from the NYPD and Katz’s office found improvised explosive devices and instructions on how to construct bombs at the brothers' apartment. Credit: Charles Eckert
The indictment does not say why the men acquired weapons, ammunition and explosives, and a Katz representative did not respond when asked about their intentions.
“We cannot measure the number of lives that were saved, but we do know that these weapons will never hurt anyone,” Katz said.
Great Neck Public Schools Superintendent Kenneth Bossert did not say which brother has worked as a security guard at JFK Elementary School in a letter distributed to parents and other community members on Tuesday. Bossert said the guard had worked at the school without incident since September.
“I must emphasize that he has not been present at JFK or any district facility since his arrest, and he will not be permitted to return to school grounds for any reason moving forward,” Bossert said in the letter.
Bossert said the guard met state requirements for an unarmed security guard license and had passed a criminal-background check and drug screening before his hiring.
“We have conducted a careful review of all mandated protocols with our contracted service provider, Arrow Security, to ensure no steps were overlooked during the hiring process,” Bossert wrote.
The indictment is the result of an investigation launched by the district attorney’s Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau into the purchase of firearm parts and accessories, Katz said, as well as the manufacture of ghost guns — untraceable weapons built from a kit or a 3D printer.
Prosecutors said investigators from the NYPD and Katz’s office executed a search warrant on Jan. 17 at the brothers’ apartment and discovered eight improvised explosive devices and instructions on how to construct bombs. Officials found body armor, metal knuckles, a radio set to the nearby 114th Precinct and several ghost guns.
Authorities also discovered 3D printers and tools to build ghost guns, components to manufacture additional explosives and nine pyrotechnic smoke bombs. The Hatziagelis brothers' apartment complex was evacuated after the explosives were discovered.
The charges in the 130-count indictment include eight counts of first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, nine counts in the second degree and 47 counts in the third degree.
Andrew and Angelo Hatziagelis were also charged with unlawful purchase of body armor, and nine counts of unlawfully dealing with fireworks and dangerous fireworks.
If convicted, the brothers each face up to 25 years in prison.
Katz's office recovered about a third of the 359 ghost guns.
“Today's charges underscore the harsh reality that our communities contain a small number of people who conceivably harbor evil intent,” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said. “This cache of weapons — including explosives and untraceable, 3D-printed ghost guns — had the potential to wreak horrendous carnage.”
