A Georgia man, David Morris, has been arrested and charged with trafficking firearms and drugs into New York City. Morris is accused of selling 47 firearms and cocaine to undercover NYPD officers in three separate transactions. These alleged sales took place near Catherine Slip and South Street on April 18 and yesterday, as outlined in the criminal complaint.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, if convicted, Morris faces up to five years in prison for unlicensed dealing of firearms, up to 15 years for firearms trafficking, and a mandatory minimum of five years—with a possible maximum of life in prison—for using and carrying a firearm during drug trafficking. Sentencing will ultimately be determined by a judge.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New York Police Department (NYPD). Authorities say their coordinated efforts helped prevent the distribution of illegal weapons and drugs in the city. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is prosecuting the case as part of Operation Take Back America, a federal initiative aimed at reducing illegal arms and narcotics trafficking. Morris is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
