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Newark Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Ghost Gun, Machine Gun, and Firearms Trafficking
Federal court imposes 135-month sentence after authorities recover loaded ghost gun and modified automatic weapon tied to broader interstate gun trafficking operation.
An Essex County man has been sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for multiple firearms offenses, including possession of a ghost gun, a machine gun modified with an illegal switch, and a 50-round drum magazine.
Kaiyir Green, 23, of Newark, received the sentence before Georgette Castner in U.S. District Court in Trenton, according to an announcement by Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello. In addition to the 11-year, three-month prison term, Green was ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
Green previously pleaded guilty in July 2025 to a four-count indictment charging him with two counts of possession of a firearm and/or ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of illegal possession of a machine gun, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
Arrest and Recovery of Weapons
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers responded on March 1, 2023, to a report of a stolen vehicle and observed Green attempting to enter the vehicle. When officers approached, Green fled on foot. He was apprehended after a pursuit, and officers recovered a ghost gun loaded with five rounds of ammunition.
After his arrest, Green made several phone calls from a recorded detention facility line directing another individual to go to his home and remove “everything,” including a “black bag.” Authorities later observed a person removing a black bag from the residence. A subsequent search of the bag uncovered a firearm modified with a switch device that converted it into a fully automatic machine gun. The weapon was loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition in a large-capacity magazine. Officers also recovered a 50-round drum magazine.
Further investigation determined that Green was involved in trafficking dozens of firearms from out of state into New Jersey, including AR-style pistols, machine guns, and firearms equipped with extended or drum magazines. Authorities said the weapons were sold to third parties within the state.
Investigation and Enforcement Efforts
Lamparello credited investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas Kalogiros; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz; and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacomo Sacca, for their roles in the investigation.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
Federal authorities said the case reflects continued enforcement efforts targeting illegal firearms possession and trafficking in New Jersey communities.
