New York Queens District Attorney Katz announced on Wednesday, October 16th, that law enforcement officers, including the New York Police Department, discovered 18 illegal firearms and a Republic of China passport at the home of a Chinese former FBI agent on October 10th of last week. The Chinese individual is currently facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and 242 other counts. If convicted, he could receive a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
According to Katz’s official website, 53-year-old Scott Chiang resides on Peck Avenue in Queens Village. During a raid on October 10th, law enforcement officers searched Chiang’s residence in Queens Village and his mailbox in Port Washington on Long Island, uncovering 18 illegal firearms, including eight ghost guns, multiple high-capacity magazines, ammunition, and firearm manufacturing tools.
Chiang has been charged with 242 counts, including first-, second-, third-, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal sale of firearms, illegal possession of firearms, endangering the welfare of children, manufacturing, transporting, disposing of, damaging weapons and dangerous instruments, illegal possession of handgun or revolver ammunition, and lack of registration certificate.
Criminal Court Judge Auguste remanded Chiang into custody pending trial and ordered him to appear for trial on October 31st.
Chiang had served as an FBI agent in the New York field office from 2004 to 2005. He currently serves as the chair of the Regional Emergency Medical Services Council for the New York area and as an emergency medical technician for the city’s fire department. According to the prosecution’s investigation, Chiang did not have a firearm license in New York City during his time at the FBI’s New York field office.
During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement officers also intercepted a package with his name on it, containing a Clark pistol slide and barrel. Furthermore, they discovered 1,000 rounds of various caliber ammunitions, as well as a US passport and a Republic of China passport under the name “Scott Chiang”.
Katz stated that the city’s Financial Crimes Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Queens District Attorney’s Detective Bureau have been monitoring Chiang’s illegal activities for a long time. He allegedly purchased unregistered firearm parts via the internet and assembled them into untraceable ghost guns.
So far this year, Queens has seized a total of 151 ghost guns, more than any other administrative district. The Queens District Attorney’s Office has successfully investigated and prosecuted numerous ghost gun manufacturers and traffickers, leading to the recovery of a significantly higher number of ghost guns than the larger New York City area.