Credit: attorneygeneral.gov
A collaborative investigation involving the Abington Township Police Department has led to felony charges against a Philadelphia man accused of trafficking illegal “ghost guns,” according to state and federal authorities.
Zairre Hamlett, 25, of Philadelphia, was charged with six felony offenses, including the illegal transfer of firearms, following a months-long investigation conducted alongside the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the ATF, DEA, and Philadelphia Police. Hamlett was arraigned and bail was set at $600,000.
Investigators determined that Hamlett was involved in numerous illegal firearm sales in and around Philadelphia, including the sale of five ghost guns since October. Two of the firearms were allegedly outfitted with machine gun conversion switches, devices that allow handguns to fire fully automatically.
The investigation included direct involvement from Abington Township Police, whose officers worked with federal and state partners to track the trafficking operation. A search warrant executed at Hamlett’s Dauphin Street residence resulted in the seizure of additional firearms, ammunition, a 3D-printed privately made firearm, and equipment used to manufacture guns at home.
“This investigation highlights the serious and growing threat posed by the illegal manufacture and trafficking of ghost guns and fully automatic firearms within the region," Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy said. "The arrest of Zairre Hamlett and the seizure of multiple firearms, machine gun conversion devices, and manufacturing equipment not only disrupted an active trafficking operation, but also prevented these weapons from being further distributed into the community. I could not be prouder of the members of the Abington Police Department and our partners in the ATF, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department who, through a collaborative effort, were able to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.”
Officials credited the coordinated effort between Abington Township Police, the Attorney General’s Office, ATF, DEA, and Philadelphia Police with successfully disrupting the operation and improving public safety across the region.
The case will be prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force. All charges are allegations, and Hamlett is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
