Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and New York City Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban today announced the indictment of AARON ISLER, 37, ANTHONY LEADER, 39, and JERMAINE MORDELLE, 37, for acting together to sell a total of nine firearms, including two ghost guns, to an undercover officer over six months in Harlem. ISLER additionally sold over 250 methamphetamine pills to the officer, which were marketed as ecstasy, and cocaine.

All defendants are charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. ISLER and MORDELLE are also each additionally charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree. ISLER is also charged with Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, among other charges. ^[1]

“As alleged, these defendants knowingly and willingly sold dangerous firearms to an undercover officer,” said District Attorney Bragg. “These weapons included ghost guns, assault rifles and semi-automatic pistols – all of which could have inflicted significant violence and harm on our neighborhoods. I thank the NYPD for its partnership and to the officer who put themself in harm’s way to protect Manhattanites. Addressing gun violence and the flow of illegal firearms continues to be my top priority.”  

“I commend the NYPD undercover officer who performed the incredibly dangerous work of preventing these illegal firearms from being used to kill or injure people in our community,” stated NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “Together with our partners in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the men and women of the NYPD will continue to remove these guns and traffickers from our streets – ensuring that they are never allowed to proliferate and circulate in any neighborhood.”

The Manhattan D.A.’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Unit and the NYPD’s joint investigation included obtaining a court-authorized eavesdropping warrant to intercept calls.

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, from approximately January 2023 to June 2023, ISLER sold nine firearms to an undercover officer. On May 17, LEADER, and MORDELLE supplied ISLER with one firearm each, knowing he intended to resell them to the undercover officer.

Another individual also supplied ISLER with a firearm on June 13, 2023. ISLER sold those weapons to the undercover officer in three separate sales.

The sales took place in Harlem, near West 124th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.

Four of the weapons were semi-automatic pistols, three were revolvers and two were assault rifles. One of the pistols and one of the assault rifles were ghost guns. Seven were loaded and three were sold with extended magazines that could hold 30 or more rounds of ammunition.

In addition to the methamphetamine pills, ISLER sold over 10 grams of cocaine to the undercover officer. 

Assistant D.A. Lauren Di Giovanni of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit is handling the prosecution of the case under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Christopher Prevost (Chief of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Unit) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Investigations Coordinator Felix Poley is also providing valuable assistance in this case.

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, in particular the Detective Bureau Manhattan North, especially Detectives Matthew Sgambati and Rhyan Nelson, Deputy Inspector Daniel Campbell and Deputy Chief Brian Gill, and the courageous undercover detectives of the Violent Crimes Squad.

Defendant Information:
AARON ISLER
New York, NY

Charged:

• Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, six counts
• Aggravated Criminal Possession of a Weapon, a class C felony, two counts
• Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree, a class D felony, nine counts
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, five counts
• Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a class A-II felony, four counts
• Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony, two counts

ANTHONY LEADER
New York, NY

Charged:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
• Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree, a class D felony, one count

JERMAINE MORDELLE
New York, NY

Charged:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, one count
• Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree, a class D felony, one count
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, one count

^[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are 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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