Bay Area man on probation accused of running “ghost gun factory” in apartment

By Tim Fang

A Bay Area man on probation for a domestic violence conviction has been arrested on dozens of felony charges for allegedly running what prosecutors described as a “ghost gun factory” inside his apartment.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced that 28-year-old Alfred Amaya of Campbell was arrested this week in a probation sweep by his office’s Gun Violence Task Force, which was conducted as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Amaya is facing more than 30 felony counts, including possession of a machine gun, manufacturing machine guns and felony possession of a weapon.

“Our task force shut down a busy criminal ghost machine gun factory in the middle of an apartment building,” Rosen said in a statement. “The defendant’s 3D printer created guns that could be used for robberies and murders, is now out of order. The defendant who was flooding our community with illegal weapons is now behind bars.”

According to prosecutors, the task force entered Amaya’s home and found a 3D printer in the closet making rifle parts, along with two loaded weapons and three nearly finished weapons which had no serial number, commonly known as “ghost guns.”

Authorities also located about 35 machine gun conversion devices.

Prosecutors have also charged with Amaya with child endangerment, saying the guns were in “easy reach” of two young children who live in the apartment.

Amaya was scheduled to be arraigned Friday afternoon. If convicted, prosecutors said he faces a lengthy term in prison.