Two people are arrested and several weapons and parts are confiscated during a raid in Nanuet

NANUET – Two people were arrested on multiple counts of illegal possession of weapons after a raid on their home seized two handguns, ammunition and parts of a stolen firearm, authorities said Wednesday.

Authorities arrested Vivian Wu and Tao Zhang on multiple counts of possession of a firearm and endangering the welfare of two children who lived with them in the home. The firearms were not securely locked and were within reach of the children, ages 7 and 9, the Rockland District Attorney’s Office said in a news release Wednesday.

“This investigation is an important step in our ongoing efforts to combat illegal firearms in Rockland County,” said District Attorney Thomas Walsh.

Rockland authorities, along with three federal agencies, New York State Police and Clarkstown police, executed a search warrant for the home on Tuesday. The address of the home was not released.

The investigation began when federal authorities learned that numerous illegal gun parts had been delivered to the Nanuet home. They also learned that Zhang had previously been convicted of a crime in 2015, authorities said.

During Tuesday’s raid, investigators seized two loaded and unserialized semi-automatic handguns, three high-capacity magazines, five major firearm components and a large quantity of unserialized phantom weapon parts.

The search warrant was executed by the District Attorney’s Office and the New York Special Response Team of the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Clarkstown Police Department, the New York State Police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.

Zhang and Wu, both 35, face the following charges:

∎ Two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the two 9 mm semi-automatic pistols;

∎ Three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon related to the three high-capacity magazines: two 9mm Glock-style magazines with a 31-capacity and one 5.56/.223 caliber AR-15-style magazine with a 30-capacity);

∎ five counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the weapon components;

∎ 65 counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon based on non-serialized ghost gun parts.

Zhang and Wu were both remanded to the Rockland County Jail by Clarkstown Judge Leslie Kahn on $50,000 bail, $100,000 surety bond and $200,000 partially secured bond. Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Peterson and Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Reilly are prosecuting the case.

Walsh said the two arrests underscore the focus on ensuring a “community that is safe from gun violence.”

HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said the arrests and seizures demonstrate that multi-agency cooperation can work.

“Our efforts resulted in the arrest of these individuals, one of whom had a prior felony conviction and was receiving shipments of firearm parts to allegedly build his own ghost guns,” Arvelo said. “This operation sends the message that illegal firearms-related activity will be combated with the full force of our combined resources and expertise.”

Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police and investigations. You can reach him at [email protected] Twitter: @lohudlegal

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