Baldwin man, teens charged after Snapchat gun video, cops say
Earl Thomas, 51, of Baldwin was arrested on weapon and child endangerment charges on Monday after two juveniles posted a Snapchat video of one of them holding a handgun, Nassau County police said. Credit: NCPD
A Baldwin man and two teenagers were arrested on weapons charges after the juveniles posted a Snapchat video of one of them holding a semi-automatic handgun, officials said.
Police said they were informed of a Snapchat video in which a juvenile was holding a semi-automatic handgun at 1 a.m. Monday.
They responded to the Stanton Avenue home of Earl Thomas, 51, and found a .25-caliber handgun, the Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun that was used in the Snapchat video and a collapsible Kel-Tec, Sub-2000 9-mm “assault weapon,” police said.
First Squad detectives said Thomas was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a firearm, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
The juveniles responsible for the video, ages 14 and 15, were charged with criminal possession of a weapon and issued desk appearance tickets; they must return to Family Court at a later date.
Thomas was arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead before Judge Eileen Goggin and was released after posting bail, said his attorney, Jerald S. Carter of Garden City.
“Mr. Thomas is a lifelong resident of Nassau County, a law-abiding citizen who would never place his child or anyone else’s child in danger, and he is looking forward to his day in court,” Carter said.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
