HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Durante King-Mclean, a Canadian man implicated in the largest gold theft in Canadian history, has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge after illegally entering the United States. Authorities reported that he was caught attempting to smuggle 65 guns when he was arrested in Pennsylvania in 2023.
King-Mclean now faces a possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison, following his guilty plea in federal court. Initially, he was charged with six illegal weapons offenses, but he opted to plead guilty to just one of those charges. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment regarding the case.
The larger investigation surrounding King-Mclean involves at least 10 individuals charged by both Canadian and U.S. authorities in relation to the firearms and a heist of a cargo container from Toronto's Pearson International Airport that occurred two years ago. The stolen cargo reportedly contained 6,600 gold bars, valued at over 20 million Canadian dollars (approximately $14.5 million), along with CA$2.5 million (around $1.8 million) in foreign currency.
According to police reports, the gold bars were melted down at a jewelry store in Toronto and sold, with the profits being used to finance the purchase of firearms in the United States. King-Mclean was identified as the truck driver who picked up the gold from the airport's cargo terminal, playing a crucial role in the heist.
After illegally entering the U.S., King-Mclean was residing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before he rented a vehicle and began traveling north toward Canada with the stash of illegal handguns. He was apprehended in Pennsylvania five months post-heist during a traffic stop, where law enforcement discovered the 65 illegal firearms, each concealed within socks in his rental car.
Among the seized firearms, two were fully automatic, eleven were reported stolen, and one had an obliterated serial number, raising serious concerns regarding the nature of the firearms and their intended use. Despite attempting to evade the Pennsylvania State Police troopers following their discovery of the firearms, King-Mclean was ultimately apprehended, linking him to both the firearms smuggling operation and the larger gold heist.
