Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell announced today the indictment of CHRISTOPHER FOX, 30, for possessing thousands of dollars in equipment to manufacture 3D-printed ghost guns, chemicals to produce narcotics, and controlled substances in his Upper East Side apartment. 

FOX is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with four counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree; one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree; one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree; two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree; five counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree; three counts of Manufacturing Any Machine; three counts of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree; one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree; five counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree; and two counts of Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.^[1]

“As alleged, Christopher Fox fully equipped himself with an arsenal of materials to operate a ghost gun and narcotics factory out of his home,” said District Attorney Bragg. “His use of 3D printing to manufacture parts for assault-style weapons serves as another example of just how easy and cheap it is to create dangerous firearms in a home or apartment. With just a couple clicks online and a few hundred dollars, these guns can be created without any background check or license. We will continue to crackdown on the polymer pipeline with our law enforcement partners and advocate for tougher laws to stop the proliferation of these weapons.”

“Today’s charges underscore the fact that the manufacturing of illegal, untraceable ghost guns continues to be the fastest-growing public-safety threat we are facing – and we are attacking it head-on,” said NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “Our ongoing efforts to eradicate gun violence in New York mean that NYPD investigators, in close cooperation with all of our law enforcement partners at the city, state, and federal levels, will never stop pursuing these types of cases.”

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, FOX manufactured enough gun parts to assemble an operable assault weapon-style rifle. From approximately March 30, 2018, to December 17, 2022, FOX purchased at least 190 items worth nearly $7,600 to assemble firearms and print 3D weapons. On March 8, 2023, investigators executing a search warrant at FOX’s residence recovered two 3D-printed firearm silencers; two 3D-printed large capacity magazines; five 3D-printed unfinished frames or receivers; four 3D-printed upper receivers; multiple rounds of ammunition; an ammunition press; three 3D printers, and multiple spools of filament.

FOX also possessed multiple digital blueprints to print assault weapon-style rifles using the three 3D printers in his apartment.

Beginning in August 2019, FOX also purchased over $7,000 worth of drug paraphernalia and chemicals, including chloroform, nitric acid, ethanol, ammonium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, and potassium nitrate. He also purchased six pounds of microcrystalline cellulose, used for pressing tablets, and 3 1/2 pounds of lactose monohydrate, commonly used to manufacture pills.

The investigators executing the search warrant also recovered various narcotics and controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, buprenorphine, amphetamine, and methadone. A pill press with a hopper, a blender, glassware, laboratory equipment and a scale were also recovered. Most of these items were covered in fentanyl residue.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the NYPD and other law enforcement partners, established the Ghost Guns Initiative in 2020 to address the proliferation of ghost guns in New York City. To date, the Ghost Guns Initiative has prosecuted cases involving the seizure of over 90 ghost gun parts, 42 fully assembled ghost guns, 24 serialized firearms, 423 high-capacity magazines, 47 silencers, and other gear including scopes and rapid-fire modification devices.

Assistant D.A. Bonnie Seok of the Rackets Bureau, overseeing the Ghost Guns Initiative, handled the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s David Stuart (Counter Terrorism Program Coordinator), Michael Ohm (Rackets Bureau Deputy Chief), Judy Salwen (Rackets Bureau Principal Deputy Chief), and Jodie Kane (Rackets Bureau Chief and Acting Chief of the Investigation Division), and Executive Assistant D.A.s Christopher Conroy (Senior Advisor to the Investigation Division) and Susan Hoffinger (Chief of Investigation Division).

The following members of the D.A.’s Office also assisted with the case: Ryan Rittenberg (Counterterrorism Program Director), Tal Porat (Senior Counterterrorism Analyst), Trial Preparation Assistants Samantha Kritzer, Rachel Broomer, and Tyler Lopez, Steven Moran (High Technology Analysis Unit Director), Senior Analyst Boris Vestfrid, and Laurence Hayes (Supervising Cyber Response Investigator) assisted with the case.

D.A. Bragg thanked the following members of the NYPD’s Major Case Field Intelligence Team: Detective John Uske, Detective Christopher Thomas, Detective John Shultz, Detective Michael Billotto, and Detective Victor Cardona, under the supervision of Sergeant Bogdan Tabor, Captain Christian Jara, and Inspector Courtney Nilan.

D.A. Bragg also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration (Sergeant Zak Anzor and Group Supervisor Adrian Castro), Homeland Security Investigations (Special Agent David Burpoe), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Special Agent Jose Cubria), and New York State Police (Investigator Christian Spears).

Defendant Information:
CHRISTOPHER FOX
New York, NY

Charged:

• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony, four counts
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a class C felony, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, a class D felony, two counts
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, five counts
• Manufacturing Any Machine – Gun or Assault Weapon, a class D felony, three counts
• Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, three counts
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a class A misdemeanor, five counts
• Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, two counts

^[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.

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