Celeb tattoo artist Jonathan Shaw arrested for arsenal of weapons including AK-47 assault rifle

Celeb tattoo artist Jonathan Shaw arrested for arsenal of weapons including AK-47 assault rifle
November 8, 2010
BY OREN YANIV
New York Daily News

A well-known tattoo artist and son of big-band legend Artie Shaw was arrested after cops found an arsenal of heavy weaponry among his belongings, prosecutors said Monday.

Jonathan Shaw, who opened the first legal tattoo parlor in the city and inked celebs like Johnny Depp, Marilyn Manson and Naomi Campbell, was arrested Sunday after movers found the weapons cache in a storage locker.

Shaw was sending the contents to Los Angeles, but when the movers found rifles in a suitcase and duffle bag, they called police, said Manhattan prosecutor Christopher Prevost.

Cops discovered an AK-47 assault rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, a loaded British rifle, 96 knives, five sets of metal knuckles, eight batons, 2,833 rounds of ammunition, stage pistols and an air rifle, authorities said.

Shaw, 57, was hit Monday with dozens of weapons possession charges.

The tattoo artist's lawyer painted a different picture of his client.

"He's a peaceful man," said Brian Pakett, describing Shaw as an artist and author. "The charges miscast the type of person Mr. Shaw is. He never had as much as a fight."

Pakett claimed the weaponry was legally purchased in New York State more than 15 years ago, but wouldn't say why Shaw was looking to move them.

Prosecutors said Shaw, who was arrested for petit larceny in California years ago, once applied for a gun permit but was denied.

He was arrested at a Madison Avenue hotel Sunday and is expected to be released on $250,000 bond.

Shaw earned notoriety for his tribal tattoos, opening Fun City Tattoos in the East Village in 1991.

He also founded the International Tattoo Art Magazine and penned two novels in recent years.

Shaw, who now splits his time between Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro, is in New York for a friend's exhibition at the Jewish Museum, his lawyer said.

"We are confident this case will be cleared," Pakett added. "Mr. Shaw is looking forward to fighting these charges."