A convicted felon was arrested on multiple weapons charges Wednesday after New York State Police, responding to a domestic dispute, discovered an arsenal of firearms at his Ulster County home.
Fred D. Earl, 74, of Wallkill, faces 14 charges, including seven felonies, after troopers executed a search warrant at his residence and found five firearms, an assault weapon, three high-capacity magazines, and a slapjack.
The investigation began at approximately 5:12 p.m. on May 7 when Highland barracks troopers responded to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute between Earl and a 29-year-old woman. Troopers located Earl’s 2024 Ford F-150 and conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Bon Ventura Avenue and Second Street in the town of Shawangunk. When the victim later returned to Earl’s home to collect her belongings, troopers observed an unsecured rifle in plain view.
A subsequent search warrant led to the discovery of a Remington .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle, a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun, a Henry Repeating Arms .45-70 caliber rifle, a River Johnson’s Arms .22 Supershot, a DPMS Panther Arms .223/5.56 assault rifle, three 30-round magazines, and a slapjack. As a convicted felon, Earl is legally barred from owning firearms in New York State. He faces three counts of criminal possession of a weapon with a prior conviction, criminal possession of an assault weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, and additional charges including failure to safely store firearms in the home.
Earl was arraigned at Ulster County Jail Central Arraignment Part, released on his own recognizance, and is due back in Shawangunk Town Court on May 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
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