Jamaican resident sentenced to Prison in the US for Making Ghost Guns

By Sherrica Thompson

Staff Writer

#USA, November 22, 2022 – A thirty-year-old Jamaican, Audley Reeves, was sentenced on November 17 in the United States to 18 months of imprisonment for making ghost guns, according to reports by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.

These weapons are said to be homemade firearms that do not contain serial numbers or other identifying markings that prevent them from being traced to the owner, seller or manufacturer. 

The US Attorney’s Office said court documents and statements revealed that the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force learned that John Lee Ortiz (Reeves co-accused) and others were selling “ghost guns,” in late 2021.

Reports are that in December 2021, investigators made controlled purchases of seven handguns, a Bushmaster .223 calibre rifle, and numerous rounds of ammunition from Ortiz.  Most of the handguns were said to be without serial numbers and had plastic lower receivers that appeared to be made with a 3D printer.

The US Attorney’s Office said Reeves was identified during the investigation as the fabricator of the ghost guns.  Reeves and Ortiz were both arrested earlier this year on January 5.

“It was also revealed that Reeves was present in the apartment at the time of the search, and a 3D printer in the apartment was in the process of printing stock of an AR-15 style rifle,” the US Attorney’s Office stated.

Reeves pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of manufacturing firearms without a license on August 24.  He is required to report to prison on January 6 of next year.

On the other hand, Ortiz is set to be sentenced on February 3.