David Joseph Mull, Unlicensed Gun Dealing, Indiana 2023

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Indiana Man Convicted of Unlicensed Gun Dealing Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison

David Joseph Mull, 52, of North Vernon, Indiana, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to unlicensed dealing in firearms.

Mull was served with a cease-and-desist letter from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 2016, putting him on notice that he needed to obtain a federal firearms license (FFL) in order to engage in the business of selling firearms. However, Mull ignored the letter and continued running his unlicensed gun business.

According to court documents, Mull sold hundreds of firearms illegally, without obtaining a proper dealing license. He evaded detection by federal law enforcement by primarily purchasing firearms from other private sellers at gun shows across the country for resale, instead of purchasing from FFLs. FFLs are required to generate multiple sales reports when individuals purchase more than one handgun within a five-day period. And if a firearm is later recovered in a crime, the ATF can determine who originally purchased the firearm from an FFL. Private sellers have no such obligation to keep or maintain records.

Mull’s main customer was involved in illegal firearms trafficking across state lines. Firearms the customer purchased from Mull were eventually transported to Mexico. Between 2019 and 2023, Mull sold over 500 firearms, including semiautomatic handguns and AR and AK style rifles, to this main customer, in exchange for approximately $350,000 in cash. According to court documents, Mull knew or had reason to believe that the firearms would be transported from Indianapolis to New York City, and then to Mexico, at the time of sale.

Additionally, Mull ran a lucrative online firearms business during the same time period, in which he sold approximately 800 firearms to different buyers throughout the United States for a total of $174,142.

“Anyone who engages in the business of selling firearms is required to have a license and follow regulations ensuring those firearms are not going to individuals who are prohibited from possessing them,” stated Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

David Joseph Mull’s exact criminal charges were unlicensed dealing in firearms. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty. The crime occurred between 2016 and 2023 in North Vernon, Indiana. Mull sold over 1,300 firearms without a license, including semiautomatic handguns and AR and AK style rifles, for approximately $524,142 in cash.