Child found among guns, drugs in Bronx home occupied by several squatters
NORWOOD, The Bronx (WABC) -- Police have arrested several suspected migrants who they found squatting with guns and drugs in the basement of a Bronx home.
The big bust happened last Wednesday when police received a call about a man with a gun just footsteps away from a school.
Officials say they chased 24-year-old Hector Desousa Villata, who is believed to be from Venezuela, into the home on Hull Avenue.
That is where police arrested him, long with seven other suspected migrants. One man, 22-year-old Javier Alborno, tried to flee with a weapon but was soon arrested.
When authorities obtained a search warrant, they found two more loaded guns, three loaded extended magazines, ammunition, and a bag of ketamine mixed with cocaine.
A 7-year-old child was also found in the home.
"Two of the people with the guns had open cases, one for an attempted murder in Yonkers, and one walking around with an open gun indictment, walking around," said NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell.
A neighbor spoke out Tuesday and said the group had been squatting.
"They're squatters and the owner has been trying to get them out of the apartment for the longest period of time," said neighbor Alfred Munoz. "I think he has a court date set, apparently because they're squatters for more than 30 days..... they came, they were a disruptive force mainly because there were a lot of them. You didn't know who was staying, not staying there, and the owner of the building had a hell of a time trying to get them out."
Desousa Villata and the others were charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of controlled substance and acting in a manner injurious to a child. Officials say all of the men, but two were released without bail.
Desousa Villalta was already charged with attempted murder for shooting another person in the leg during an argument in Yonkers.
The extent of the criminal activity at the house is the subject of investigation here while six of the suspects are out on release.
The suspect accused of shooting someone in the leg in Yonkers is out on supervised release. Some of the suspects are also under investigation in connection with a robbery pattern in Bergen County.
WATCH | NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell answers questions about squatters in NYC
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