Captain Mackie and his Queens North Narcotics Team, who participated in the raid (Photo: 112 Precinct/ Twitter)
June 12, 2018 By Tara Law
A Forest Hills man was caught with pistols, rifles, cocaine and marijuana after the police raided his house early Saturday, according to the Queens District Attorney.
George Mirzayans, a 52-year-old resident of Thorton Place, faces up to 20 years in prison for criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance and other crimes. Bail was set at $100,000, and he has been ordered to return to court on June 25.
“Illegal firearms in our communities pose a grave risk to everyone,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown when announcing the charges. “The defendant has now been arrested, charged and faces a long term of incarceration for his alleged actions.”
Narcotics detectives executed a search warrant to raid Mirzayans’s home at around 6 a.m. on Saturday.
They found a total of seven firearms— including a Winchester Super X Rifle, a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a .30 caliber lever action rifle and a .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
The cops also found 10 pounds of marijuana, more than eight ounces of cocaine, liquid marijuana, a measuring scale, and spoons with cocaine residue on them. The police also seized about $5,000 cash.
Mirzayans admitted to the officers that he likes guns and collects them despite not having a license for any of them, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office. He also allegedly admitted that he sells drugs.
Mirzayans told police: “I sling coke a little bit at a time. I smoke weed and I sling a little bit,” according to the District Attorney.
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12 Comments
Lets try an experiment. To all those sympathetic to a man named George who deals drugs and ‘collects’ weapons, pretend he’s an African American, a guy you don’t know. He deals cocaine and other drugs, has distribution paraphernalia in his apartment, and a cache of eight weapons, one of which is an AR-15, designed to kill humans quickly and in large numbers. One of the pistols in the lower right is designed for concealed carry, the kind drug dealers use to get out of trouble, and usually kill innocent bystanders. But George, he’s a good guy. What a thankless job these police have.
They let him bond out so give law enforcement and the courts the benefit of the doubt. Why all the loaded guns? The police had to do something.
Hope he’s the little fish to get bigger ones. Guns not allowed in NYC, not even pellet guns. Different city, different rules. Our 2nd amendment rights to defend ourselves does not exist here. At the same time, I get my marajyana oil leagaly on Queens Blvd dispensary. At the same time today in the news. A bust for 3+ million in fentinol, 150 lb pot, 150,000 cash ++ they may get up to 10 years. Just comparing, a small guy, collector, musician, hooking up his long time friends is being displayed like a big deal.
If he was living out west somewhere most of this would not even matter. So many conflicted rules, laws and attitudes in this country. I also have friends in the police and they have a very very difficult job in this city, to the point of war veterins from stories I have heard. It’s tough when u yourself can’t choose a side. All I know is that George is not a danger to anyone, and under different circumstances, might be a dispensary owner. Just saying. Rules changing all the time. People still in jail for small qtys in the past, while someone walks by smoking a joint leagaly now. Pot became illegal in 1930s and now that’s being undone. Why after 1000s of years someone decided to create the lies that cost us Billions!!! in the end. And now becoming legal again and making money for states. Crazy times when you have to check the current rules for pot and guns in every state or city. Crazy when u can get arrested for crossing the wrong street with a pellet gun. My humbol opinions and observations.
Yes!! I wanted to make the same differentiation – there is a vast difference between a neighborhood guy “slinging”, as George put it in typical George fashion, a little blow or pot and the big guy who moves weight or the guy who sells indiscriminately, to whomever wants it, regardless of age or depth of addiction (cocaine & marijuana are not addictive – they are habit-forming, which isn’t an insignificant point…like we said, his “clients” were probably other musicians/neighborhood friends who were recreational users). Still – I understand that with our laws being what they are, it is a risk one accepts when he chooses to sell. The fact that George had those stupid guns in his possession while selling, made it an even greater risk – a stupid one. Then to top it off, beside the amount of cocaine & pot, the fact that he had a scale & other accoutrements associated with packaging drugs for sale, makes this a TRAGIC situation. There is no doubt my George, with all of his talent and intelligence and compassion, will be incarcerated for a considerable time. What really irks me – it made me physically ill when I first saw it days ago – is the picture of the SEVEN detectives posing like they took down Al Capone. I realize this is a major “bust”, but consideration must be made for the family of the accused – if it shocked and sickened me to see those guns and cocaine laid out on George’s table, and the deliriously happy officers, I could imagine what others close to him, felt, especially his sister. I am an ardent supporter of law enforcement and our justice system. As flawed as it may sometimes be, it is the best in the world. The 112th Pct., which is hardly Fort Apache; The Bronx, and George is hardly a threat to his community, but as I stated – the law is the law. I understand this, BUT I still cannot help but feel profound sorrow (and anger at whomever suggested this would be a good way to subsidize his income…he’d NEVER have sought to do this foolish thing of his own volition…somebody had to have encouraged him) and helplessness and regret that I did not know what he was doing because I lost touch with a friend who meant so very much to me. All you wrote is true and insightful. Thank you for all of your thoughtful comments and input. Everyone who has commented has helped me wrap my head around this – for that I thank you.
I meant to use the word “supplement” – not “subsidize”. Again – everyone’s feelings & input, whether negative of positive has made all of this easier to absorb. Thanks to you all for being respectful and articulate, no matter what your thoughts and opinions.
Good job by the detective, that guy George no angel!
Aside from talking on FB, occasionally, I have not seen or hung out with George for over 20 years, but it defies credulity that George could be anything but kind and sweet – a little quirky and he could be obnoxious in a comical way. I hate to believe that he could have changed so drastically. I have lost sleep over this, not just because he was such a dear friend – I put stock in the old adage; “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time” (Baretta?!), but it is because I have always known him to be so…benign…and generous and kind, that it has really affected me. I hope it is I who am right, but I suppose people can change over the years, but I just cannot imagine such a change in George.
He has not changed. He takes care of his sister. Always ready to help a friend and still an avid collector. A good Godzilla toy deal and he’s in heaven. Never hurt anyone as long as I know him. His situation is a shame.
The Prohibition is alive and well! No Drugs sold here!
https://goo.gl/images/pVMfWr
What about the pharmaceutical companies that are enabling people to commit suicide? Pharm and the politicians they bought are the true enemies of Liberty. …So are these clueless cops.
All true! I know Mr Mirzayans and his family, personally, for many years, and although he did a stupid thing, he’s hardly a career criminal and he is certainly not the danger to the community this article asserts. The people who patronize the local occasional drug “dealer” are oftentimes those who have been using for a considerable period of time. It’s no excuse, but it is time we put this issue in perspective…AND it is time to address addiction to narcotics. George is a “compulsive” collector – he has a diverse series of collections, ranging from certain comic book characters, to characters like Godzilla, and other things…again, without making an excuse for doing such a foolhearty thing, he was most likely “collecting” firearms. Why he didn’t seek to obtain a license for each, I do not know. He has NO record, which would have prohibited that. I am an advocate of our 2nd amendment – I believe it is the most important of our Constitutional, God-given rights but no matter what your feeling are about restrictions to these rights, it is imperative that the law be followed. I really cannot say what George was thinking. He probably WASN’T. The photo featured in this article angered me – Mr Mirzayans has a sister, family & close friends…the photograph is in bad taste to say the least and I suspect it will be hurtful AND SHOCKING for his loved ones to see. I wish this publication would omit that photograph from their article.
I am a staunch supporter of law enforcement, but why posing like this? This is someone’s life who is destroyed.
The sweetest guy I know. So sad.