Ten long guns, two hand guns, ammunition, brass knuckles and drugs were found in a raid at 8464 West Rivershore Drive.
Niagara Gazette
NIAGARA FALLS — A raid on a home in the Cayuga Island neighborhood of the Falls has netted cops a large collection of guns, ammunition and drugs.
Falls Police Narcotics Division detectives and Roving Anti-Crime Unit officers said when they hit the home in the upscale neighborhood, just after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, they made some shocking discoveries.
“When we confronted the target, he said he had nothing in his home,” Narcotics Division Capt. Morris Shamrock said. “Ten long guns, two hand guns, ammunition, brass knuckles and drugs later, we were still finding stuff.”
Detectives and RAC officers said they were tipped off to the activities of Vincent Joseph “Big Vince” Quarcini and began an investigation.
“We got some information a few months back about Big Vince dealing cocaine on the (Cayuga) island,” RAC Officer Joseph Palermo said. “Then we were able to develop enough information to get a search warrant for his home.”
Quarcini’s home is surrounded by the homes of prominent community leaders including lawyers and members of law enforcement and investigators said they noticed “people not from the neighborhood” regularly going in and out of the house.
Inside, detectives found 10 rifles, including two assault rifles with fully loaded clips of ammunition. They also recovered a .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a .9-mm semi-automatic handgun, each with fully loaded clips.
Also seized in the home was a large quantity of high powered ammunition and a pair of brass knuckles.
Investigators seized seven bags of cocaine, packaged for sale and 66 Valium and Soma tablets that were recovered in the home.
“From the moment we stopped him, he claimed there was nothing in the house,” Palermo said. “The first thing I thought when we got inside was, wow, there’s guns everywhere and that’s a lot of ammo.”
Detectives discovered clothing and other materials that link Quarcini to the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club. The Kingsmen are known to have chapters in both the Falls and North Tonawanda.
“He’s claiming to be a past member of the Kingsmen,” Palermo said.
Quarcini, 49, 8464 West Rivershore Drive, has been charged with third-, fourth- and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Other charges are reportedly pending.
Police did not use the department’s Emergency Response Team to execute the search warrant. Quarcini, who his 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 500 pounds, told investigators that was a wise move.
“Yeah, it’s probably a good thing (an ERT entry) didn’t happen,” Quarcini said. “I got a lot of guns and military training.”
Detectives John Faso and John Galie assisted in the investigation.
Falls Police Narcotics Division detectives and Roving Anti-Crime Unit officers said when they hit the home in the upscale neighborhood, just after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, they made some shocking discoveries.
“When we confronted the target, he said he had nothing in his home,” Narcotics Division Capt. Morris Shamrock said. “Ten long guns, two hand guns, ammunition, brass knuckles and drugs later, we were still finding stuff.”
Detectives and RAC officers said they were tipped off to the activities of Vincent Joseph “Big Vince” Quarcini and began an investigation.
“We got some information a few months back about Big Vince dealing cocaine on the (Cayuga) island,” RAC Officer Joseph Palermo said. “Then we were able to develop enough information to get a search warrant for his home.”
Quarcini’s home is surrounded by the homes of prominent community leaders including lawyers and members of law enforcement and investigators said they noticed “people not from the neighborhood” regularly going in and out of the house.
Inside, detectives found 10 rifles, including two assault rifles with fully loaded clips of ammunition. They also recovered a .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a .9-mm semi-automatic handgun, each with fully loaded clips.
Also seized in the home was a large quantity of high powered ammunition and a pair of brass knuckles.
Investigators seized seven bags of cocaine, packaged for sale and 66 Valium and Soma tablets that were recovered in the home.
“From the moment we stopped him, he claimed there was nothing in the house,” Palermo said. “The first thing I thought when we got inside was, wow, there’s guns everywhere and that’s a lot of ammo.”
Detectives discovered clothing and other materials that link Quarcini to the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club. The Kingsmen are known to have chapters in both the Falls and North Tonawanda.
“He’s claiming to be a past member of the Kingsmen,” Palermo said.
Quarcini, 49, 8464 West Rivershore Drive, has been charged with third-, fourth- and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Other charges are reportedly pending.
Police did not use the department’s Emergency Response Team to execute the search warrant. Quarcini, who his 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 500 pounds, told investigators that was a wise move.
“Yeah, it’s probably a good thing (an ERT entry) didn’t happen,” Quarcini said. “I got a lot of guns and military training.”
Detectives John Faso and John Galie assisted in the investigation.