BUFFALO, N.Y. — A father and son from Niagara Falls, New York, have been arrested on firearms trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced on Friday. Dustin McCarthy, Sr., 43, and his son, Dayzon McCarthy, 21, face significant prison time if convicted, with Dustin McCarthy facing up to 15 years and Dayzon McCarthy facing up to 25 years due to additional charges.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is prosecuting the case, the arrests followed an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office. Between June 20 and August 12, 2024, law enforcement carried out four controlled purchases of firearms from Dayzon McCarthy. The firearms included a Glock .22 caliber pistol, a Beretta, a Davis Industries .380 caliber pistol, and a “Ghost Gun” equipped with a 3D-printed auto sear, converting it into a machine gun.
In a separate incident on July 23, 2024, investigators also conducted a controlled purchase of a 9mm pistol from Dustin McCarthy. Notably, Dustin McCarthy has two prior felony convictions and is currently on pre-trial supervision for federal narcotics trafficking charges.
Both defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer on Friday afternoon and are being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for August 21, 2024. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement agencies continuing to look into the firearms trafficking activities of the McCarthy family.