Port Jervis Man Arrested after Front St. Pursuit for Home-Made Handguns

Noah James McCagg, 21, of Port Jervis, was arrested on Front St. at 1:34 p. m. on March 25 and charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for possessing a loaded 9mm pistol.

Noah James McCagg, 21, has been charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for possessing a home-made handgun lacking a serial number, also called a “ghost gun,” constructed with a 3-D Printer.

The arrest came after a foot pursuit by police on Front Street on March 25 at about 1:34 p.m. The investigation revealed that McCagg had created the pistol inside his Prospect Street, Port Jervis, residence using a 3-D printer. McCagg was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Port Jervis City Police, who were aided by the Orange County Drug Task Force. The investigation initially focused on narcotics. In addition to the loaded pistol that McCagg is charged with possessing, Port Jervis Police also recovered a 3-D printer that McCagg was apparently using to create operable firearms similar to the one he had on Front Street. These home-made guns, which bear no serial numbers, commonly referred to as “ghost guns,” are becoming more prevalent.

The lower part of the pistols can be created out of nylon and plastics using a 3-D printer. Those creating the illegal “ghost guns” add other gun components including barrels and trigger assemblies purchased separately. When combined, these create fully functional pistols. The printer and gun components were recovered after Port Jervis Police, aided by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group, and Town of Deerpark Police Department, executed a search warrant at McCagg’s residence.

Because of his prior criminal history, McCagg faces up to 15 years in prison on the charge of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

The City of Port Jervis Police Department and Orange County District Attorney’s Office are continuing to investigate whether other “ghost guns” were created at the Prospect Street location, and what became of those guns. Anyone with information is urged to call the City of Port Jervis Police Department.

McCagg was arraigned in the City of Port Jervis Court and is being held in the Orange County Jail in lieu of bail in the amount of $25,000 cash, or $75,000 secured bond, or $100,000 unsecured bond. He is next scheduled to appear in court on March 29, 2023.

. “This case is wake-up call as to the increased availability of illegally obtained pistols in our communities,” said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.

“There is considerable concern regarding the threat posed by ghost guns, which are homemade weapons often constructed to sell to persons who otherwise would not be able to legally obtain a firearm,” said City of Port Jervis Police Chief William Worden. “By obtaining gun parts and blueprints readily available on the internet, ghost gun manufacturers exploit new technology to profit and make our communities less safe by providing yet another avenue for a criminal to obtain an illegal gun. Much like we have done with narcotics traffickers, we will utilize our partnership with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to relentlessly pursue any person who produces or sells illegal and untraceable firearms.”

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alexis Gregory.

Criminal charges are merely allegations that a defendant has committed violations of the criminal law, and as such they are not evidence of guilt. All defendants have a presumption of innocence and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the burden of the State of New York to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.