HARRISBURG, PA — State and federal authorities announced sweeping charges this week against a Philadelphia man accused of trafficking so-called “ghost guns,” firearms without serial numbers that investigators say were sold repeatedly in and around the city following a months-long, multi-agency probe.
At a joint announcement, Dave Sunday said investigators charged 25-year-old Zairre Hamlett with six felony offenses tied to the alleged illegal transfer and manufacture of firearms. Hamlett was arraigned by Philadelphia police, and bail was set at $600,000.
According to investigators, Hamlett allegedly conducted numerous illegal sales of unserialized firearms, commonly referred to as ghost guns, since October. Law enforcement agencies said they surveilled multiple transactions involving five pistols, all allegedly lacking serial numbers, including two firearms fitted with illegal machine-gun conversion switches.
Authorities said a search warrant executed at Hamlett’s Dauphin Street residence uncovered additional firearms, including a 3D-printed privately made firearm, ammunition, and materials consistent with at-home firearm manufacturing.
Sunday described ghost guns as a significant public safety threat, arguing that such weapons are designed to evade law enforcement tracking and accountability. Federal and local officials echoed that concern, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the investigation.
Representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the case highlights coordinated efforts to identify and dismantle illegal firearms pipelines before weapons are used in violent crimes. Officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration also participated in the investigation, underscoring the overlap between illegal firearms trafficking and broader criminal networks.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel said each firearm removed from circulation represents a potential act of violence prevented, while Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy described the alleged operation as an active trafficking effort disrupted through sustained interagency cooperation.
The case will be prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.
All charges filed against Hamlett are allegations. As with all criminal cases, he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.