Suspicious Activity Leads to Illegal Drugs and Gun Arrest

City of Syracuse, New York – The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office reports that Deputies investigating suspicious activity discover Syracuse man in possession of illegal drugs and handgun.

On Friday, August 14th, at approximately 6:40 P.M., Deputies assigned to the Gun Involved Violence Elimination unit (GIVE), observed suspicious vehicles along with suspicious activity in a parking lot in the 100 block of Court Street. Upon further investigation, Deputies observed illegal drugs in plain view inside one of the vehicles, which was occupied by a male identified as 38 year old Joshua Messano of Syracuse. A subsequent search of the vehicle and Messano revealed 6.39 grams of cocaine, approximately $1100 in cash and loaded Polymer 80 9mm handgun (Ghost Gun). Deputies arrested and charged Messano with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the second and third degree.

Messano, a third time convicted felon, was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and is currently being held without bail.

*Ghost Guns* are unserialized and untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home.