CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — A Canadian man who attempted to transport dozens of illegal firearms through central Pennsylvania toward the Canadian border has been sentenced to more than 13 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Durante King-Mclean, 27, received a 160-month sentence after pleading guilty to a firearms trafficking conspiracy charge earlier this year.
Authorities said Pennsylvania State Police stopped King-Mclean on Sept. 2, 2023, in Franklin County while he was driving a rental vehicle. During the stop, he attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended.
Investigators discovered 65 handguns concealed in the trunk of the vehicle, many hidden inside socks. Federal officials said two of the weapons were fully automatic, 11 had been reported stolen and one had a defaced serial number.
According to the DOJ, King-Mclean had been living unlawfully in the United States after allegedly being connected to a high-value cargo theft in Canada. Canadian authorities have charged him in connection with the April 2023 theft of gold bars and foreign currency from an Air Canada cargo facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Officials said King-Mclean was en route back to Canada with the firearms at the time of the traffic stop.
“Firearms trafficking fuels violence on both sides of the border,” said Eric J. DeGree, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Philadelphia Field Division. “This sentence reflects the severity of the crime and underscores the coordinated efforts of law enforcement agencies to disrupt illegal gun networks.”
The case was investigated by the ATF’s Harrisburg office, Pennsylvania State Police and Homeland Security Investigations.
