Saratoga County Man Sentenced to 76 Months for Unlawfully Selling “Ghost Guns” and Methamphetamine Distribution

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Christopher Montano, age 40, of Edinburg, New York, was sentenced today to 76 months in prison for unlawfully conspiring to deal, possess, transfer and make unregistered firearms, and for distributing methamphetamine.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

As part of his prior guilty plea, Montano admitted that between August and October 2019, he, along with Michael Castelluccio, conspired to build and sell firearms from component parts ordered online. These firearms are commonly known as "ghost guns" because they do not have serial numbers, which makes them difficult for law enforcement to trace.

Montano admitted to conspiring to possess and transfer short-barreled rifles, which are rifles with barrels less than 16 inches long, and admitted to doing so without having filed an application with nor received approval from the Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, or paying the tax required by federal law. He also admitted to selling more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release, which will start after Montano is released from prison. Judge Suddaby previously sentenced Castelluccio to 30 months in prison.

This case was investigated by the ATF and HSI, with assistance from the Schenectady County and Montgomery County Sheriff's Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping prosecuted this case.