New Fairfield Man Was Making,Trafficking Illegal Assault Weapons: Police

State police have charged a New Fairfield man with firearms trafficking after they say they found him making and selling illegal assault weapons and handguns.

Michael Giannone, 44, appeared before a judge on Tuesday.

Detectives from the state police, along with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives executed a search and seizure warrant on March 24 at Giannone's home on Merlin Avenue.

Police stopped Giannone moments after he dropped his child off at school and took him to his house, where troopers served the search warrant.

According to police, investigators found 59 firearms on the property. Nine of those weapons were illegal, including two AK-47 assault rifles and five AR-15 assault rifles with no serial numbers on them, police said. They also found a rifle with an illegal silencer, two additional silencers, 65 illegal high-capacity magazines and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition, according to state police.

In addition to the weapons, police said they found components to make 12 more AR-15 rifles, none of which had serial numbers.

At the time of his arrest in March, Giannone was charged with firearms trafficking, two counts of possession of an assault weapon, two counts of sale of an assault weapon, two counts of possession/sale of high-capacity magazines, illegal firearms transfer.

Police continued their investigation and arrested Giannone on additional charges Tuesday. He is also charged with 9 counts of possession of an assault weapon, 3 counts of possession of silencers, 65 counts of high capacity magazines, improper storage of firearms, risk of injury to a minor and possession of a weapon on school grounds.

Giannone turned himself in to state police. He he pleaded not guilty a in Danbury Superior Court and was held on $100,000 bond.  He is scheduled to be back in court on July 18.

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