Wilkes-Barre police arrest woman for assault and terrorist threats

MINEOLA, NY — A Long Beach man has been indicted on multiple counts, including illegal firearm sales and drug trafficking, after allegedly selling 10 illegal weapons over a three-month period — some of which are linked to shootings in Queens and Nassau County — Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced.

James Jayshaun Edwards, 33, was arraigned on August 22, 2024, before Judge Robert Schwartz on a number of serious charges, including first-degree criminal sale of a firearm, second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and various other weapons and drug offenses. Edwards pleaded not guilty and bail was set at $500,000 cash, $750,000 surety bond, and $1.5 million partially secured bond. He is scheduled to appear in court again on September 20, 2024. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

District Attorney Donnelly described Edwards' actions as a “brazen, open-air illegal gun smuggling operation” conducted outside his Birch Court apartment, just steps from the Long Beach Police Department headquarters. The investigation, which began in April 2024, involved multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD).

According to the indictment, between April and July 2024, Edwards allegedly sold ten illegal firearms, including an AR-15-style ghost gun and an assault pistol, as well as several loaded firearms. The sales occurred in broad daylight, with Edwards reportedly packing the weapons in duffel bags and diaper boxes. The investigation also revealed that Edwards sold approximately 20 grams of cocaine during this time period.

Ballistics testing conducted by the ATF linked two of the firearms sold by Edwards to several shootings that occurred in Queens, Roosevelt, Westbury and Long Beach between 2021 and 2022. Three separate shootings in Nassau County that injured four people were linked to the same weapon. These incidents are currently being prosecuted by the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, with charges including multiple counts of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault, among others.

“This multi-jurisdictional operation has not only made the streets of Long Beach safer, but it has also provided us with a critical piece of evidence that will help us in these prosecutions,” stated DA Donnelly. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we continue to catch smugglers bringing guns into Nassau County, disrupt the illegal gun trade, and save lives.”

Cooperation between different law enforcement agencies was key to the success of the operation. Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of ATF New York, emphasized the importance of stopping the arms trade, saying: “The uncontrolled flow of weapons directly contributes to the gun violence on our streets. Stopping such gun smuggling schemes is a top priority for the ATF.”

Long Beach Police Commissioner Richard DePalma and Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder also emphasized the effectiveness of multi-agency cooperation in ensuring public safety. New York Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban emphasized the importance of these efforts in preventing further tragedies and holding those involved in illegal activities accountable.

The indictment is an important step in ongoing efforts to combat illegal arms trafficking and curb gun violence in the region.