ONE MAN ARMY:
By Staff Reporter
Queens Voice
January 15, 2026
QUEENS, NY - A Kew Gardens man is heading to state prison after prosecutors uncovered what they described as a massive and dangerous cache of illegal weapons inside his Queens apartment—an arsenal that included assault weapons, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and bulletproof vests.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that 67-year-old Charles Foehner of Kew Gardens was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, after pleading guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.
The case stems from a fatal shooting in Kew Gardens in May 2023, which ultimately led investigators to discover one of the largest illegal weapons stockpiles found in a residential apartment in Queens.
Investigation Began After Fatal Kew Gardens Shooting
According to prosecutors, the investigation began in the early morning hours of May 31, 2023, when Foehner was involved in a confrontation on 82nd Avenue near Queens Boulevard.
During that incident, 32-year-old Cody Gonzalez was shot and killed. While no criminal charges were filed against Foehner related to the shooting, the incident prompted authorities to seek a court-authorized search warrant for his apartment.What they found inside shocked even seasoned investigators.
Police Recover 26 Illegal Firearms and Thousands of Rounds of Ammunition
During the search of Foehner’s Kew Gardens apartment, law enforcement officers recovered:
- 26 unlicensed and unregistered firearms
- Four assault weapons
- 13,074 rounds of ammunition
- 152 large capacity feeding devices, including 10 that were fully loaded
- Two bulletproof vests
- Nearly all firearms found to be fully operational
The weapons included handguns, revolvers, shotguns, and high-powered rifles—some chambered for military-style ammunition.
District Attorney Katz emphasized that this was not a harmless or historical collection.
“This stockpile was not a collection of your grandfather’s inoperable antique weapons,” Katz said. “This was an arsenal of lethal firearms and assault weapons possessed in full violation of New York State law.”
Assault Weapons and High-Powered Rifles Found in Queens Apartment
Among the firearms recovered were:
- A 5.56 x 45 mm semi-automatic Norinco assault rifle
- Multiple 7.62 x 39 mm rifles
- Glock pistols, Colt firearms, and Ruger rifles
- Shotguns and high-caliber revolvers
Prosecutors confirmed that four of the weapons met New York’s legal definition of assault weapons, and none were licensed or registered as required by state law.
Arrest, Guilty Plea, and Sentencing
Foehner was arrested on June 1, 2023, by officers from the 102nd Precinct and later indicted on weapons possession charges.
On November 20, he pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a serious felony under New York law.
On sentencing day, Queens Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino imposed a four-year prison sentence, citing the scale and severity of the illegal weapons cache.
Illegal gun possession remains a major public safety concern across New York City, and prosecutors say this case underscores the danger posed by unregulated firearms hidden inside residential buildings.
By removing dozens of illegal weapons from a single apartment, authorities say they prevented the potential for future violence in an already densely populated neighborhood.
Four years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.
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