A North Vernon man has been charged with engaging in an unlicensed firearms dealing business after selling more than 500 guns for more than $350,000.
This charge comes after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charge on 51-year-old David Joseph Mull on one count of unlicensed firearm dealing.
According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, as alleged in the indictment, Mull is responsible for selling more than 500 firearms in exchange for more than $350,000 to one individual and 90 firearms in exchange for $56,850 to a second.
According to the indictment, the firearms were allegedly purchased by Mull from gun shows and sold to other individuals.
Mull allegedly was aware the firearms he sold would be transported to Mexico, according to the indictment.
On May 25, 2016, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued Mull with a cease-and-desist letter advising him it was unlawful to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license.
During a firearms sale on March 9, 2023, the second individual asked Mull why he did not have a brick-and-mortar business, to which Mull replied, “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,” according to the indictment.
The indictment was announced by Zachary A. Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana; Daryl S. McCormick, special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Columbus Field Division; Justin Campbell, special agent in charge with the IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office; and Michael Gannon, assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Indianapolis Field Office.
“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 said. “We will continue to work with the ATF, IRS, DEA and all our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute illegal gun trafficking.”
If convicted, Mull faces up to five years in federal prison, according to the news release.
The government also seeks the forfeiture of more than 1,000 firearms seized from Mull as property involved in the charged offense.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation so Mull is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A federal court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.