Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that an East Rockaway man pleaded guilty yesterday to weapon possession for stockpiling an arsenal of ghost guns in his home.
Thomas Saxton, 36, pleaded guilty Wednesday before Judge Teresa Corrigan to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a C violent felony) in satisfaction of a 31-count indictment. The defendant is due back for sentencing on January 18, 2024, when he’s expected to be sentenced to seven years in prison. The NCDA recommended a sentence of ten years in prison.
“Thomas Saxton threatened to kill his wife at a hospital in Queens and it was later discovered that he was hoarding illegal weapons – including ghost guns and assault rifles – in his East Rockaway home,” said DA Donnelly. “Untraceable ghost guns are particularly problematic for law enforcement investigations, and this defendant had seven loaded ghost guns and parts in his home. We are committed to ridding our streets of illegal weapons and thank our partners in the NYPD and NCPD for their assistance in this case.”
DA Donnelly said that on February 17, 2022, members of the New York City Police Department responded to Cohen Children’s Hospital Center in Queens for a domestic disturbance. The defendant possessed a handgun and threatened to kill his wife.
During the course of the investigation into the Queens crime, it was discovered that additional weapons were located in Saxton’s East Rockaway home. Members of the Nassau County Police Department responded to the home and recovered seven ghost gun handguns; two assault rifles, one of which was a ghost gun; more than 60 high-capacity magazines; ammunition; and ghost gun parts.
The defendant pleaded guilty in his Queens case to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree on October 27, 2023. He is due back in court there on January 12, 2024.
For more information about Saxton’s arrest in Queens, click here.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Andrew Tripodi of the Narcotics, Firearms and Gangs Bureau. The defendant is represented by Joseph LoPiccolo, Esq.
