Investigation

Off Target

In a sweeping investigation, The Trace and USA TODAY found that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives bends over backward to go easy on wayward gun dealers, sometimes allowing weapons to flow into the hands of criminals.

  • 78,000

    The number of gun dealers, manufacturers, and importers in the U.S.

  • 1.6%

    The share of gun dealers with violations whose licenses were revoked from 2010 to 2019.

  • 700+

    The number of investigators employed by the ATF to inspect the nation's gun dealers.

ATF

The ATF Catches Thousands of Lawbreaking Gun Dealers Every Year. It Shuts Down Very Few.

In a sweeping investigation, The Trace and USA TODAY found the federal agency charged with policing the gun industry let dealers get away with falsifying records and selling firearms without background checks.
Brian Freskos, Daniel Nass, Alain Stephens, and Nick Penzenstadler
A collage of an ATF agent, a gun store, and inspection paperwork.

Full Coverage

Lead Reporters

  • Brian Freskos

    News Editor
    Brian is The Trace’s news editor. He is responsible for identifying emerging opportunities for quick-turn news stories, ongoing watchdog coverage, and follow-up reporting. Between 2016 and 2022, Brian served as a reporter and staff writer at The Trace, covering gun trafficking and community-based violence prevention. He was part of the team that produced Missing Pieces, a multi-partner collaboration about the link between gun theft and violent crime that won a Deadline Club Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian was also a lead reporter for Off Target, an investigation in partnership with USA Today that helped prompt reforms to how the federal government polices gun dealers. Brian is based in Chicago and holds degrees from Columbia University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

  • Alain Stephens

    Staff Writer
    Alain is a staff writer covering developments in firearms technology and the ATF. His investigations into auto sears, toy guns, and ghost guns for The Trace have led to congressional action. A military veteran and gun owner, Alain did tours at inewsource and Texas Standard, where his work led to important public safety, civil rights, and criminal justice reforms.

  • Nick Penzenstadler

    Nick Penzenstadler is a reporter on the USA TODAY investigations team, focusing primarily on firearms and consumer financial protection. Contact him at [email protected] or @npenzenstadler, or on Signal at (720) 507-5273.

  • Daniel Nass

    Daniel Nass was The Trace’s visual journalist and associate editor for data and graphics from 2017 to 2021.