Astoria brothers with hit list admit to manufacturing and stockpiling guns and bombs

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and investigators display weapons and ammunition recovered from the home of Andrew and Angelo Hatziagelis. Photo provided by Queens district attorney’s office

By Noah Powelson

Two brothers admitted to hoarding a trove of weapons in their Astoria family home on Friday, including assault weapons, explosives and other 3D printed weapons.

Andrew and Angelo Hatziagelis, 41 and 52 years old respectively, pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon charges, as well as manufacture, transport, disposition and defacement of weapons charges.

In addition to the weapons, a “hit list” with the names of “cops, judges, politicians, celebrities was also allegedly recovered by police from the Hatziagelis home.

Andrew Hatziagelis also pleaded guilty to additional criminal possession of a weapon charges, including with the intent to use unlawfully.

According to the Queens district attorney’s office, an investigation was being carried out by the DA’s office, the NYPD, Homeland Security and the State Police into purchases of firearm components the brothers had made. Purchases dated back to September 2020, the DA’s office said, and the Hatziagelis brothers were suspected of manufacturing untraceable firearms without a serial number otherwise known as ghost guns.

A warrant by the DA’s investigation team was executed on Jan. 17, 2024, at the Hatziagelis’ home on 36th Avenue in Astoria. A number of heavy-duty weapons were seized, including improvised explosive, tripwire explosives, two loaded AR-15 style ghost guns, 9 mm ghost gun pistols, over 600 rounds of ammunition for each of the firearms, smoke bombs and a 3D printer.

The brothers’ hit list was also found during the search, along with instructions on how to manufacture explosives and reading materials the DA’s office referred to as “anarchist related propaganda.”

The brothers were arrested after the weapons were uncovered, and members of the NYPD Bomb Squad were called to respond and evaluate the building with explosives inside.

“These defendants possessed untraceable weapons and improvised bombs capable of causing untold harm,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “Thanks to the proactive investigative work of my Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau, lives were saved. I express my gratitude to our partners in the NYPD, Homeland Security and State Police for helping to bring these defendants to justice.”

The Hatziagelis brothers pleaded guilty to the charges before Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino last week.

The brothers are scheduled to return to court on June 2 for sentencing.

The DA’s office said Andrew Hatziagelis is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in prison and Angelo Hatziagelis is expected to face four years in prison. Both brothers are expected to face five years of post-release supervision as part of their sentence.