November 7, 2005

DILLON & LAWRENCE ANNOUNCE:

ARREST OF UPSTATE RESIDENT FOR
THE POSSESSION AND SALE OF FIREARMS AS WELL AS CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ASSAULT IN THE FIRST DEGREE

Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon and Nassau County Police Commissioner James H. Lawrence announced today that Carl Leidig of 251 Wheaton Creek Road, Otego, New York, was arrested this past weekend for the possession and sale of firearms as well as conspiracy to commit assault on his former girlfriend. This was the result of an investigation by the District Attorney's Electronic Investigations Bureau, the Nassau County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad and Electronics Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

On September 26, 2005, near the intersection of 199th Street and Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows, Leidig met with an undercover detective from the Nassau County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad. At that time, Leidig sold the detective one revolver and one semiautomatic handgun, eleven boxes of assorted ammunition and three holsters for $1200.

On October 13, 2005, Leidig met the detective at the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Jericho Turnpike in Floral Park. At that time, Leidig sold the detective a Glock semi-automatic pistol, three bags of ammunition, three clips and a holster. Leidig told the detective that the gun had night sights and that the bullets in the gun could go through a vest. At this meeting, Leidig discussed selling the detective a Thompson machine gun.

Also during their October 13, 2005 conversation, Leidig told the detective he wanted his former girlfriend's index finger cut off and her kneecaps broken. They then discussed the price for the assault. Leidig went on to tell the detective there were other weapons he could get the detective, and that he could give the detective enough ammunition to shoot every cop in North America. The detective and Leidig agreed to settle the price for the assault at a later date.

On Saturday, November 5, 2005, Leidig met with the detective at the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Jericho Turnpike in Floral Park, at which time he sold the detective a machine gun for one thousand dollars. During this meeting, Leidig also discussed the assault on his former girlfriend. He told the detective he wanted both her kneecaps broken and her finger cut off on the Thanksgiving weekend. He wanted it to occur on that weekend because he would be at his upstate home and thus would have an alibi. Leidig agreed to pay $2,500 for the assault. Leidig gave the detective a five hundred dollar down payment, and provided the detective with the name and description of his former girlfriend, a diagram of where she lived, a description of where she parked her car , a description of her car and details of her activities. During their conversation, Leidig told the detective that he wanted the detective to give him his former girlfriend’s finger after it was severed so that he (Leidig) could put it in his freezer and display it at a nightclub she frequented. Leidig was arrested at the scene by NCDA Squad Detectives with the assistance of Floral Park and Third Precinct detectives.

On November 5, 2005, detectives from the Nassau County Police Department performed a search of Leidig’s home at 251 Wheaton Creek Road, Otego, located in upstate New York. During their search, detectives recovered 4 additional handguns and a large quantity of ammunition.

Leidig has been charged with four counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, three counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm and one count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree.

The defendant was arraigned on Sunday in Nassau County District Court in Hempstead before Judge Bonnie Chaikin and bail was set at $1.5 million bond or $750,000 cash. The case was adjourned until November 10, 2005 in District Court Part 9 in Mineola.

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.