Durante King-Mclean, a 26-year-old Canadian from Cambridge, Ontario, has pleaded guilty to charges related to an illegal firearms trafficking conspiracy. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus detailed that the charges originated from a traffic stop on September 2, 2023, by Pennsylvania State Police in Franklin County. King-Mclean was found operating a rental vehicle containing 65 handguns concealed in socks. Among these firearms, two were fully automatic, eleven were stolen, and one had an obliterated serial number.
King-Mclean had been communicating with co-conspirators since April 2023 until his arrest in September of the same year. He resided at an Airbnb in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida before renting a vehicle and traveling north towards Canada with the firearms.
Following his arrest and incarceration on September 2, 2023, Canadian authorities charged King-Mclean for his alleged involvement in a heist involving $22.5 million dollars worth of gold bars and foreign currency from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on April 17, 2023.
Eric J. DeGree of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Philadelphia Field Division stated: “King-Mclean’s international firearms trafficking scheme had 65 guns destined for the hands of violent criminals and other prohibited people who threaten their communities.”
Edward V. Owens from HSI Philadelphia remarked: "This guilty plea highlights the serious consequences of international arms trafficking and the dangers it poses to public safety."
King-Mclean could face up to 15 years imprisonment along with fines and supervised release terms.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including ATF's Harrisburg Office, Pennsylvania State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney William A. Behe is leading the prosecution.
This case forms part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aiming to reduce violent crime through community collaboration alongside law enforcement efforts.
Additionally, this prosecution is linked to an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation focused on dismantling major drug trafficking organizations across national levels.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court proceedings.
