A Georgia man has been arrested and charged with illegally trafficking 47 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition, as well as narcotics, from Georgia to Lower Manhattan. The arrest and charges were announced Friday.
David Morris, 31, of Georgia, was taken into custody earlier today following the sale of 17 firearms and cocaine to undercover law enforcement officers. He is expected to be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, Morris engaged in multiple transactions with undercover NYPD officers in the vicinity of Catherine Slip and South Street in Lower Manhattan on or about March 28, April 18, and May 9, 2025. During these alleged sales, Morris sold a total of 47 firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition. He is accused of transporting the weapons from Georgia.
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The complaint further alleges that Morris made statements to undercover officers indicating he works with a team in Georgia, has been selling firearms for approximately ten years, and has access to machine gun conversion devices used to convert semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons.
In addition to firearms, Morris is also charged with trafficking narcotics. On or about April 18, 2025, he allegedly provided an undercover officer a “sample” of a substance containing cocaine. On or about May 9, 2025, he allegedly sold plastic baggies of white powder, represented to be cocaine, to an undercover officer.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams commented on the arrest, stating, “As alleged, David Morris illegally trafficked dangerous drugs and 47 firearms from Georgia to New York City. The unchecked flow of illegal firearms is a threat to every New Yorker. Anyone who is thinking about illegally trafficking guns to New York City should know that our Office and our law enforcement partners are watching, and we will hold you accountable for jeopardizing the safety of our streets.”
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ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller emphasized the commitment to public safety, saying, “Today’s arrest serves as a notice to those who think they are above the law and can illegally traffic guns into our communities. The men and women of ATF NY will never waver in our commitment to protect the public and to aggressively target firearms traffickers. I thank our partners at NYPD and SDNY for their diligent work and tireless dedication to our shared public safety mission.”
Morris is charged with one count of unlicensed dealing of firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and one count of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of life and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.
The statutory maximum and minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided for informational purposes only, as the judge will determine any sentencing.
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This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Justice Department aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation leverages resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Williams commended the investigative work of the ATF and the NYPD’s Joint Firearms Task Force and the 5th Precinct’s Field Intelligence Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock of the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.
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