A New York man who officials say aimed to carry out a racial civil war was arrested with a second man after they bought a cache of guns without serial numbers from undercover agents, according to documents filed in federal court Wednesday.
The men, Joseph Miner, 29, and Daniel Jou, 40, both of Queens, purchased handguns and a shotgun with “cleaned off” serial numbers, according to documents filed in New York’s Eastern District Court.
Miner also bought a “ghost AR” with a silencer — an assault-style rifle assembled from parts without identifying markings, the documents say.
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They were arrested Tuesday night.
The men, who appeared in court via teleconference Wednesday, face charges of illegal possession of firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney for New York’s Eastern District.
Court records didn’t list lawyers for them, and it wasn’t clear if they entered a plea during their arraignment Wednesday.
Investigators were alerted to Miner after seeing posts on Instagram from last year in which he allegedly praised an attack on a synagogue in Monsey, New York, and posted photos of himself giving the Nazi salute, officials said.
He also allegedly “fantasized about ‘martyring’ himself” in a “blaze of glory,” the documents say.
In another social media post, Miner said he wanted assault weapons and other guns for “boogaloo purposes” — slang for a racial civil war, the documents say.
Officials said that earlier this year, Miner bought body armor emblazoned with a Nazi symbol and a tactical helmet.
During a meeting Tuesday with an undercover agent in Queens, Miner and Jou bought the cleaned off guns, as well as a Colt assault rifle with a silencer, more than 200 rounds of ammunition and a high-capacity magazine.