Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Richard McCormick, 42, has been indicted by a Queens grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on a 120-count indictment charging him with attempted criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes. The defendant allegedly purchased a cache of high-capacity magazines, firearm components and ammunition at a gun show in Pennsylvania and drove to New York – where all are illegal to possess. Police also allegedly recovered a stockpile of illegal guns, high-capacity magazines, silencers, and ammunition in the defendant’s Richmond Hill home.

District Attorney Katz said, “The proliferation of shootings in our City has caused grief and heartache. This indictment sends a clear message that those who purchase and transport weapons illegally into our communities will be held accountable. We cannot allow weapons and gun violence to become the norm here in Queens County.”

McCormick, of 85^th Drive in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, was arraigned yesterday before Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino on a 120-count indictment charging him with attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the second and third degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third and fourth degree, manufacture, transport, disposition and defacement of weapons and dangerous instruments and appliances, criminal possession of a firearm, attempted criminal possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of pistol ammunition. Justice Cimino ordered the defendant return to court on October 29, 2021. If convicted, McCormick faces up to 20 years in prison.

As alleged, on August 15, 2021, shortly after 10 a.m., the defendant was observed purchasing high-capacity magazines, firearm components and ammunition at the Oaks Gun Show in Pennsylvania, loading them into a Black 2021 Cadillac Escalade and then driving through New Jersey and into New York City via the George Washington Bridge. Shortly after entering New York City, the defendant was pulled over by members of the Port Authority Police Department who were assisting members of the New York State Police conducting the investigation.

According to the charges, police seized the following items from the vehicle:

• 45 high-capacity magazines
• An upper slide and barrel for a 9mm pistol
• A trigger assembly
• 15 rounds of 12-gauge slug ammunition
• 1,000 rounds of 7.62 rifle ammunition
• A hook knife and switchblade knife
• 15 rounds of 12-gauge buckshot ammunition
• 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition
• 1 Billy Club
• 1 Expandable Baton

DA Katz said that during the stop, the defendant allegedly told police in sum and substance everything in the car was his. He was bringing it to his home in Queens.

Continuing, according to the indictment, a Court-authorized search warrant was executed by the police to search McCormick’s home in Richmond Hill. At that location, law enforcement officers seized approximately $8,500 in cash and more weapons and ammunition.

In addition, the following items were allegedly recovered from the defendant’s residence:

• A package containing all parts needed to assemble a 9mm SCCY pistol
• Parts needed to assemble a polymer80 .45 caliber ACP pistol
• The parts to assemble a 9mm semi-automatic pistol
• 5 high-capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds
• 4 firearm silencers
• A set of brass knuckles
• 2 switchblade knives
• 3 finished upper receivers for pistols
• 9,991 bullets for various calibers of weapons, including 9mm and .45 caliber firearms
• Numerous firearms-related components and parts for assembling or manufacturing pistols, rifles, and revolvers, and
• Mail and other items with the defendants’ names and the address of the location

The investigation was conducted by Investigator Jason Robles, of the DA’s Detective Squad, Investigators Al Vasquez and Christian Spears of the New York State Police and Senior Investigator MK Fagan of the New York State Police. Also assisting with the investigation is Assistant District Attorney Shanon LaCorte, Director of the District Attorney’s Crimes Strategies Unit.

Assistant District Attorney Ajay Chheda, Section Chief in the DA’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Jonathan Sennett, Bureau Chief, Michelle Goldstein, Senior Deputy Chief, Mark Katz and Philip Anderson, Deputy Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard Brave.