North Castle Family Charged on 34 Counts of Possessing Illegal Guns
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Three members of the same family were arraigned on an indictment last week alleging they illegal possessed nearly 50 guns, including semiautomatic rifles, shotguns, machine guns and a ghost gun.
Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced that defendants Theodore Brois, 68, Helene Brois, 63, and 25-year-old Brandon Brois were each indicted and arraigned in Westchester County Court on May 9.
On Jan. 25, 2022, the North Castle Police Department arrested the three defendants at their Tallwoods Road home in Armonk. They had no permits to legally purchase or possess firearms. Officers seized 48 guns, which were found in several rooms throughout the house. At least 15 of the guns were loaded.
“This case is another result of our strong partnership with local police to ensure greater public safety by seizing illegal guns and preventing these deadly weapons from infiltrating our communities,” Rocah said in a statement last week.
The eldest Brois was charged with the multiple felonies of first-degree criminal possession of a weapon; criminal possession of a firearm; second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (related to the alleged possession of five or more firearms); eight counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, related to the alleged possession of loaded assault weapons; and 12 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Helene Brois was charged with the criminal possession of a firearm; second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; and three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, all of which are felonies.
In addition to the same multiple felony weapons possession charges, Brandon Brois was also charged with nine counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, which were misdemeanors. He had a prior conviction of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, which prohibits him from legally possessing any firearms.
In January 2022, North Castle Police Chief Peter Simonsen commended the multiagency effort that resulted in raids in eight locations in Westchester and Putnam counties.
“This was an outstanding collaboration and was very successful,” he said at the time. “We live in a world where people and manufacturers can create firearms on something that occurred in the past. In law enforcement, we need to adjust and adapt to obtain those firearms that are part of the problem.”
The defendants’ arrests were a result of an investigation by the North Castle Police Department, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety’s Real Time Crime Center, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by the Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau of the Trials and Investigations Division.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
