Patchogue Man Illegally Sold AR-15 Rifle: DA

PATCHOGUE, NY — A Patchogue man was arrested Thursday and accused of illegally selling weapons, including a AR-15 assault rifle that he assembled himself using legally purchased gun parts, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini.

Mark Singh, 35, was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal sale of a firearm, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and manufacture of an assault weapon, the DA said.

In 2018, the DA’s Office and Suffolk County police conducted an investigation into sales at Chester’s Hunting & Fishing, a sporting goods store in Ronkonkoma. As a result the owner, 54-year-old Chester Pergan, of St. James, was arrested and charged with 69 criminal counts of illegal possession and sale of weapons, according to Sini.

As part of the investigation, Singh was found to also be involved, the DA said. Investigators found evidence that on at least one occasion, Singh manufactured an AR-15 assault rifle by purchasing individual gun parts legally, then illegally sold that weapon, the DA said.

It is legal to purchase certain gun parts in New York state; however it is illegal to manufacture, possess or sell an assault weapon. In addition, Singh was not licensed to own firearms, Sini said.

"This is an individual who was not legally allowed to possess firearms, and yet he was building and selling his own illegal assault rifles," Sini said.

A search warrant was executed Wednesday at Singh’s home in Patchogue and authorities said they recovered seven illegal assault weapons, one of which was loaded, and three illegally-configured receivers and parts that were in the process of being assembled, the DA said. In addition, officials found 13 high-capacity magazines; hundreds of rounds of ammunition; seven illegal knives; and various tools and parts used for assembling AR 15-type rifles, according to the DA.

"Not only did Mark Singh illegally assemble weapons, he went one step further and engaged in illegal sales," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. "I applaud the efforts of the SCPD detectives as well as our law enforcement partners to halt this individual’s operations and take these weapons off the street."

Singh was arraigned yesterday by Suffolk County District Court Judge Toni A. Bean and bail was set at $75,000 cash or $150,000 bond. He is due back in court on June 29. If convicted of the top count, Singh faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison.