Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been
charged in a 77-count indictment for selling 11 handguns and two semi-automatic rifles to an
undercover detective in the Bronx.
District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly possessed these dangerous weapons
in the Bronx, and sold them to a courageous NYPD detective posing as a gun buyer. Fortunately,
these firearms were intercepted before they could harm anyone in our community, and this alleged
gun dealer is out of business. We will do everything we can to stop the flow of illegal guns to our
streets.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Frankie Esperanza, 34, of 2816 Schley Avenue,
was arraigned today on an indictment charging 77 counts including Criminal Sale of a Firearm,
Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Possession of Ammunition before Bronx Supreme Court
Justice George Villegas. Bail was set at $250,000 bond. He is due back in court on June 19, 2019.
If convicted of the top charge of first-degree Criminal Sale of a Firearm, the defendant could face
five to 25 years in prison.
According to the investigation, Esperanza allegedly sold 13 firearms to an undercover
NYPD detective on eight different occasions spanning from August 8, 2018 until January 28,
2019, at various locations in the Throggs Neck area of the Bronx. The weapons included two
semi-automatic rifles and a high-capacity magazine. More than two hundred rounds of
ammunition were also sold.
District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Deputy Inspector Brian V. Gill, Commanding
Officer of the Firearms Suppression Section; NYPD Captain Jonathan P. Korbell, Commanding
Officer; NYPD Detective Jonathan Jordan and Detective Dennis Kenefick from the Firearms
Investigation Unit, and NYPD Detective Douglas Lansing of the Drug Enforcement Task Force,
formerly of the Firearms Investigation Unit, for their assistance in the investigation.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
