Officers from the Midtown South precinct arrested 47-year-old Ilya Vett on Friday afternoon. The Lion King prop maker was taken into custody by police after he is accused of printing a 3-D gun.
Per the NY Post, police made their way into the Minskoff Theatre where the musical was being rehearsed on West 45th Street around 12:30 p.m. in pursuit of Vett.
The Lion King prop maker is accused of printing a revolver style gun
The Brooklyn resident was said to be in the middle of printing the gun when officers arrived.
The type and style of gun Vett is accused of printing was “a hard black plastic object” that is “shaped like a revolver,” an officer is the case stated.
The Lion King prop maker told police that the gun is a gift for his brother.
“I brought the 3-D printer in [to the theater] from my workshop because my workshop is too dusty.” Adding, “It’s mine … I was making the gun as a gift to my brother,” Vett stated.
“He lives upstate and has a firearms license. There’s a website that has plans for the gun. I downloaded the plans onto the SD card in the printer.”
Vett was released without bail
Vett was arraigned sometime after 8 p.m. on Saturday in Manhattan Criminal Court where he also admitted to possessing an unloaded rifle that was located at his home.
Police initially wanted to see Vett charged with more but Manhattan prosecutors downgraded the charges to one count of attempted criminal possession of a firearm.
Vett faces a maximum of four years in prison and was released without bail. He was seen leaving his arraignment in tears as he hugged his wife following his overnight stay in jail.
The Minskoff Theater declined to comment on the prop maker’s arrest.
