Saint Marys man indicted by federal grand jury for shipping firearms to Canada

ERIE, Pa. (WTAJ) — A resident of Saint Marys has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie for violating federal firearms laws.

Gary Murray, 44, was named as the sole defendant in the three-count Indictment. From October 1, 2022, to April 4, 2024, Murray conspired with individuals in Canada to conceal and ship Glock pistols from the United States to Canada without the required license and contrary to exportation regulations, according to the Indictment.

The firearms Murray allegedly smuggled across the border were prohibited weapons in Canada, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan.

Murray communicated with the buyers using the encrypted Telegram messaging application and would allegedly purchase numerous Glock handguns from local dealers in the Western District of Pennsylvania, disassembled the weapons and concealed the parts inside household objects such as glue guns, camping kits and staplers.

In exchange for purchasing and smuggling the firearms, Murray allegedly received payments from buyers via Cash App, including more than $20,000 in payments during a two-week period in late January and early February 2024, Olshan said in a release.

“Gary Murray allegedly used his ready access to firearms in the United States to pursue a
lucrative cross-border trafficking enterprise,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “This prosecution
demonstrates once again the resolve of our office and our partners at the ATF to track down and put a stop to illicit firearms sales—including those that span international borders—as well as our commitment to keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.”

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Murray is charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit firearms smuggling, unlawful
transfer of a firearm to an out-of-state resident, and firearms smuggling. The law provides for a
maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000, or both.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security
Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment, with critical assistance from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit from British Columbia, Canada.

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