NORTH VERNON, IN – David Joseph Mull, 51, of North Vernon, Indiana, is facing federal charges for allegedly operating a large-scale, unlicensed firearms dealing business. Federal prosecutors say Mull peddled over 500 guns for more than $350,000, turning a tidy profit while skirting the law and potentially fueling cartel violence south of the border.
According to an indictment unsealed Monday, Mull sold the firearms to at least two individuals – identified only as “Individual A” and “Individual B.” He allegedly raked in $56,850 from Individual B alone, for 90 firearms. The feds claim Mull knowingly supplied weapons intended for transport to Mexico, raising serious questions about the ultimate destination and use of these guns.
This isn’t Mull’s first brush with the ATF. Back in 2016, the Bureau issued him a cease-and-desist letter, explicitly warning him that dealing firearms without a license is illegal. Yet, Mull allegedly continued his shadow operation, seemingly unfazed. A wiretapped conversation from March 9, 2023, reveals Mull admitting his preference for operating under the radar. When asked about a storefront, Mull reportedly responded, “Like a store? I don’t want nobody to know. I’m probably like you, I don’t want nobody to know about it. Hopefully we can continue to do a bunch of business; I’ll keep on getting stuff.”
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers, emphasized the seriousness of the charges. “Firearms trafficking investigations are a priority of the Department of Justice, because we know that illegal gun sales fuel violence in our communities and around the world,” Myers stated. He pledged continued collaboration with the ATF, IRS, and DEA to aggressively pursue these cases.
The investigation, part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, involved agents from the ATF, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the DEA. If convicted of the charge of unlicensed firearm dealing, Mull faces up to five years in federal prison. The government is also seeking to seize over 1,000 firearms allegedly connected to the illegal operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey L. Massa and Michelle P. Brady are prosecuting the case. As with all criminal proceedings, Mull is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case underscores the persistent challenge of tracking and stopping illegal gun trafficking networks, and the flow of weapons across borders.
Related Federal Cases
- John Coffin, Gun Possession with Drug Dealing, NY 2023 · Florida
- Letitia James Organized Gun Buyback, Schenectady NY, 2023 · Florida
- Brian Lawson, Ghost Gun Ring Leader, Central NY, 2023 · Florida
- Letitia James, Gun Buyback, New York, 2023 · Florida
- Lawrence Destefano, Ghost Gun Ring Operation, Florida, 2023 · Florida
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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