A Queens grand jury indicted a Jamaica man and his accomplice on weapons and drugs charges for trafficking illegal guns from Georgia into southeast Queens.
Teddy Gaston, 39, of Linden Boulevard, and Jezerel Huston, 41, of Macon, Georgia, were arraigned Sept. 9 in Queens Supreme Court on a 194-count indictment charging them with criminal sale of a firearm and other weapons charges, criminal sale of a ghost gun, criminal sale of a controlled substance, conspiracy and other related crimes.
A six-month joint investigation with the NYPD and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that the duo allegedly worked in concert to purchase firearms in Georgia and transport the weapons to be sold in Southeast Queens. The investigation included undercover buys of more than 70 firearms, ammunition, and drugs from the defendants, with most of the transactions taking place in a McDonald’s parking lot in Rosedale.
“As alleged, these defendants peddled weapons and narcotics — running firearms, assault rifles and at least one ghost gun up from the South to be sold in our borough,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said during a press conference on Friday morning. “We are determined to dismantle the Iron Pipeline that places countless lives at risk, and we will prosecute any gun traffickers who take advantage of lax gun laws in other states to bring dangerous guns into Queens County.”
According to the indictment and the investigation, members of the Queens District Attorney’s office, the NYPD, and HSI began a firearm trafficking investigation involving Gaston, known on the streets as “JD Yikes, and Huston in March. Huston would allegedly procure firearms in Georgia, transport them to New York, and provide them to Gaston, who would then sell the weapons in Queens. An undercover officer conducted eight controlled buys with the defendants between April 7 and Aug. 29. The transactions resulted in the seizure of 59 firearms, including seven assault weapons and one ghost gun, 98 fentanyl pills, approximately 100 grams of cocaine and multiple rounds of ammunition. Most of the firearms contained high-capacity magazines, and some of the weapons were defaced.
Many of the purchases allegedly took place at a McDonald’s parking lot on Merrick Boulevard and 244th Street in Rosedale. On one occasion, Gaston allegedly met the undercover officer at the parking lot and told him the guns were “around the corner.” They both drove to 135th Street in Rosedale, where Gaston gave the officer his car keys as collateral, and the undercover gave Gaston $4,300 for the sale, according to the charges. The defendant walked away and returned a short time later with a knapsack that he gave to the officer. The knapsack contained six handguns, one of which was defaced and five of which contained high-capacity magazines.
On another occasion, Gaston and Huston were allegedly observed on video surveillance footage with a red suitcase on wheels a short distance away from the McDonald’s restaurant. The defendants could be seen placing the suitcase in the trunk of Gaston’s vehicle and driving to the McDonald’s parking lot to meet the undercover. Gaston allegedly placed the suitcase in the officer’s vehicle, entered the front passenger seat, and handed the officer a bag with 98 fentanyl pills in exchange for $9,400. The suitcase contained eight firearms, including one assault rifle and one ghost gun with a switch capable of turning the weapon into a machine gun.
“Over the course of six months, members of my Major Narcotics Unit worked in close collaboration with the NYPD’s JFK Task Force Unit and HSI to bring these defendants to justice,” Katz said. “I extend my gratitude to the brave undercover officer who placed himself in harm’s way to help build the case.”
On Sept. 9, Gaston and Huston were arrested at the intersection of 241st Street and Merrick Boulevard by members of the NYPD, HSI, and Suffolk County Police while on the way to a pre-arranged gun sale transaction. A total of 18 additional firearms, including five assault weapons, were seized during the arrest.
“As alleged, these defendants masterminded a gun and drug trafficking network that funneled firearms, fentanyl, and other narcotics into our neighborhoods and in turn, created a supply line that fueled violence and harmful addiction,” HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel said during the press conference. “Each illegal gun recovered is a trigger pull that never happens; each pill seized is a potential tragedy averted.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino remanded Gaston and Huston into custody without bail and ordered them to return to court on Oct. 6.
“Teddy Gaston and Jezerel Huston allegedly worked hand-in-hand to create this dangerous interstate pipeline and flooded our streets with more than 75 guns, ammunition, and deadly drugs,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. “These guns could have caused significant harm in our communities, but because of the incredible work that our detectives do every day, they will no longer pose a risk to anyone. This is the NYPD’s work in action — removing more than 3,900 guns from our streets this year alone and bringing shootings down to record lows.”
If convicted, Gaston and Huston face up to 25 years in prison.
“These defendants thought they could sell dozens of firearms, fentanyl, and cocaine in our city, but they were wrong because we’ve made it clear: the culture of ‘anything goes’ is over in the five boroughs,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “No one fights gun and narcotics trafficking better than the NYPD, so I want to thank our brave officers and detectives, HSI, and the Queens DA’s office for their excellent work on this case. Now, we need to work together with all our partners to shut down the Iron Pipeline once and for all.”
