Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has announced a major case involving illegal gun sales. The indictment alleges that Hayden Espinosa, while in federal prison, attempted to sell guns to an undercover NYPD officer.

According to the indictment, the 24-year-old Espinosa, who was in a Louisiana federal prison, allegedly used a contraband phone to operate a Telegram channel called 3D AMENDMENT. This channel was used to share racist and extremist views and attracted people interested in stockpiling weapons.

“He is charged in the New York State Supreme court indictment with four counts of transport of a firearm, machine gun, silencer or disguised gun and one count of attempted criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree,” Bragg added.

The investigation began in December 2022. The indictment alleges that Espinosa’s sales involved 3D technology. He allegedly attempted to sell the NYPD officer a 3D-printed Glock 19 handgun, two silencers, and two auto sears—small parts that transform semi-automatic guns into machine guns.

“The amount of havoc that these high powered weapons and parts could’ve wrecked on the streets if sold by Espinosa could've had in our communities had this operation not been successful,” said Darren McCormack, Deputy Special Agent with HSI.

Cracking down on illegal guns remains a high priority. The NYPD reported removing roughly 6,500 illegal guns from the streets in 2023. So far this year, officials say they have found about 3,000 illegal firearms.

“Whether these guns are 3D printed at home, sold on the streets, on Discord or on Telegram, we’re going to keep doing everything in our power to keep them from being used in random acts of violence. Acts of violence like the horrific mass shooting that lead the REME team to find this telegram chat - the Tops supermarket attack in Buffalo,” said Rebecca Weiner, deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism at the NYPD.

The operation to catch Espinosa involved multiple agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

“Mr. Espinosa thought that he could conduct his criminal activities anonymously, but when you use the mail for illegal activity, postal inspectors will shine a spotlight on your actions, and together with our law enforcement partners, we will bring you to justice,” said John Del Giudice of the Postal Inspection Service.

Espinosa is currently in custody in Louisiana and will be extradited to New York for trial.