Guo Shou, 33, of Rego Park, had 225 pounds of gunpowder, tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, bullet-making equipment, assault rifles and several bullet proof vests, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.



The arsenal was discovered when officers conducted an administrative pistol licensee review at Shou's home Monday. The officers spotted the gunpowder and some of the ammunition lying in plain sight.



They then got a court order to search the entire apartment, located on 65-60 Wetherole St., which is less than two blocks away from Public School 139 Rego Park.



"It is extremely disturbing to find such a lethal arsenal of this magnitude in a residential community," Brown said. "Alone, the amount of gunpowder discovered was capable of igniting and causing significant damage to not only the defendant's apartment but to neighboring apartments and the building's exterior walls, as well as injuring or killing anyone unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity."



Shou was arraigned Tuesday night and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the most serious offense.



All told, cops seized: 14 licensed handguns, which were not properly secured in a safe; two loaded licensed shotguns; one licensed rifle; approximately 45,000 rounds of ammunition for multiple weapons; two Kevlar body armor vests; and six Kevlar armor plates.