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‘Mob Wines’ husband heads to federal court after weapons were found in his Staten Island home

Reality TV Star-Arrest
Drita D’Avanzo, left, a former star of the controversial show “Mob Wives,” and her husband, Lee, center, were arraigned in Criminal Court, St. George on drug and weapons charges, Friday Dec. 20, 2019, in Staten Island, NY. (Alexandra Salmieri/Staten Island Advance via AP)

The husband of “Mob Wives” star Drita D’avanzo is facing federal charges after he and his wife were arrested on state weapons charges last month, prosecutors announced Friday.

Lee D’avanzo, 52, is currently awaiting arraignment before the federal courts in Brooklyn. Lee and Drita D’avanzo were both arrested in December 2019 after an NYPD search of their Staten Island home uncovered a loaded 9 mm handgun and a loaded .38 revolver.

Police also allegedly found hydrocodone and alprazolam, according to the Staten Island Advance, as well as US currency, scales, Zip Lock bags and multiple cellphones. They both were charged with state criminal possession of a weapon charges.

Lee, who has past state and federal convictions, recently found him in the midst of a drug arrest weeks after his initial gun bust. According to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office, Lee was allegedly one of 24 people involved in a large-scale marijuana and THC distribution network operating throughout Monmouth, Ocean, and Bergen counties as well as parts of New York. The year-long investigation allegedly found that the alleged scheme was to secretly convert legitimate candies, including the popular Nerds Rope and Sour Patch candy brands, to an illegal THC-infused product. 

The investigation allegedly uncovered and seized 21,000 packages of candy infused with suspected THC, 1,100 pounds of suspected marijuana, and over 6,000 flavored THC vape cartridges, all with an estimated street value of $1.9 million, as well as machines used to repackage the candy. Lee was charged with fourth degree conspiracy to possess marijuana and fourth degree possession of marijuana in excess of 50 grams.