Carlton man, 25, faces numerous felony firearms charges

Photo from State Police: Numerous illegal weapons were seized by the State Police from a resident of Carlton.

CARLTON – State Police have charged a Carlton man with numerous felony firearms charges.

Benjamin T. Hayes, 25, was charged on Thursday by the State Police out of Albion with 25 counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd degree (D felony), two counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm (E Felony), Unlawful Purchase of Body Armor (E Felony) and 5 counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th degree (A Misdemeanor).

The State Police said its Bureau of Criminal Investigation on Oct. 30 received a report of a possible illegal weapons possession. Investigation determined after a search warrant was executed on the suspect’s residence that Hayes was in possession of numerous illegal weapons including a privately manufactured ghost gun, 3-D printed pistol receivers, pistols, unregistered Safe Act rifles, high-capacity magazines, body armor, ammunition and electronics involved in private manufacturing of gun parts.

Hayes was arrested and transported to Orleans County Jail for centralized arraignment.

The State Police Forensic Identification Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office assisted in this investigation, State Police said.

Hayes was working as a county employee in the Information Technology Department and is no longer with the county.

Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer, issued this statement:

 “Yesterday, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation out of State Police in Batavia arrested Benjamin Hayes of Carlton on 20 felony gun charges.  Mr. Hayes had been a probationary employee with Orleans County in our IT Department. He has since been terminated.”