FORT WAYNE, IN – Adam Meekin, 26, of Huntington, Indiana, is headed to federal prison after admitting to running a shadow gun shop that funneled weapons onto the streets of multiple cities. U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady handed down a 54-month sentence, followed by two years of supervised release, after Meekin pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of dealing and manufacturing firearms, and unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began tracking Meekin in 2018, noticing his prolific advertising of firearms on social media. What they uncovered was a sophisticated operation where Meekin used family members to purchase 122 AR-15 style lower receivers on his behalf – the core component of building a rifle. These weren’t destined for legal gun owners. Investigators linked eleven of those receivers to firearms recovered at crime scenes in Detroit, Chicago, and Fort Wayne, tied to homicides, attempted homicides, robberies, and gang violence.
ATF agents didn’t stop there. In the summer of 2018, they went undercover, buying completed rifles directly from Meekin and even commissioning an illegal, unregistered firearm – a short-barreled, fully automatic “ghost gun” lacking any serial number. During recorded conversations, Meekin brazenly admitted to years of experience and a willingness to build any firearm a customer desired. He was, in essence, an unlicensed, unregulated gun manufacturer fueling the criminal underworld.
“Gun violence is a problem plaguing our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “The flow of illegally purchased firearms, especially “ghost guns”, must stop. As this case shows, often the source of trafficked firearms is a person, like Mr. Meekin, who illegally manufactures and illegally sells them to violent criminals.” The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony W. Geller, highlighted the direct link between Meekin’s actions and the escalating violence in multiple major cities.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division emphasized the danger posed by privately made firearms falling into the wrong hands. “When privately made firearms end up in the hands of prohibited people, it threatens the safety of the community,” Amon said. “We will continue to investigate these important cases alongside our prosecutorial partners at the United States Attorney’s Office.” This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a nationwide effort to reduce violent crime.
Meekin’s sentence sends a message, though whether it’s enough to stem the tide of illegal gun trafficking remains to be seen. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to disrupt the flow of weapons to criminals, and hold those responsible accountable. The case underscores a grim reality: the demand for illegal firearms is high, and individuals like Meekin are all too willing to supply it, regardless of the human cost.
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