MINEOLA, N.Y. — A Long Beach man pleaded guilty Monday to selling 10 illegal firearms, including an assault weapon and a ghost gun, during a months-long operation in front of his home, Nassau County prosecutors announced.
James Jayshaun Edwards, 33, admitted to charges of criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree, a violent felony, and criminal possession of a firearm. He is expected to be sentenced to seven years in prison with five years of post-release supervision at a hearing scheduled for February 14, 2025. Prosecutors had recommended a 13-year prison sentence.
Between April and July 2024, Edwards sold 10 illegal weapons, including an AR-15-style ghost gun, multiple pistols, and loaded firearms, outside his Birch Court apartment. He also sold hundreds of rounds of ammunition alongside the firearms, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.
Two of the weapons sold by Edwards were later tied to multiple shootings in Queens and Nassau County that occurred between 2021 and 2022, including incidents in Roosevelt, Westbury, and Long Beach. Authorities seized three additional firearms during a search of Edwards’ home in August 2024.
“Today’s guilty plea underscores the strength of this case built by the work of my prosecutors and our law enforcement partners,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly. “We will not tolerate the illegal sale of untraceable weapons in our communities that can put the lives of Nassau County residents at risk.”
The investigation involved cooperation from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Task Force, Long Beach Police Department, New York City Police Department, Nassau County Police Department, and New York State Police. Edwards was arrested on August 22, 2024, by members of the Long Beach Police Department and ATF Task Force.
