Four Plead Guilty in US-Canada Firearms Trafficking Case

Four residents of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation have pleaded guilty to federal firearms offenses related to an international gun trafficking conspiracy, according to the U. S. Attorney's Office.

The conspiracy involved smuggling illegally obtained firearms from New Hampshire through the reservation into Canada. The defendants, Conrad Oakes, Tayson Terrance, Ranonkwatseronhawi Gibson, and Montana Cook, admitted their roles between September 26 and October 9, 2026.

The investigation, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), revealed that the conspiracy exploited the Akwesasne reservation, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border from New York to Quebec, as a crossing point. The defendants were part of a larger group indicted in May 2026, and their guilty pleas follow those of five other co-conspirators.

Smuggling Operations

According to court documents, the investigation began with a firearms trace after a weapon with an obliterated serial number was recovered by the Montreal City Police Department during a kidnapping investigation. This firearm, purchased by co-conspirator Dustin Tuttle in New Hampshire, was part of a broader scheme to smuggle weapons from New Hampshire to Vermont, New York, and ultimately into Canada.

The conspiracy involved the use of jet skis to transport contraband, including straw-purchased firearms, from the New York side of the Akwesasne to Cornwall Island. From there, a resident would ferry the contraband through a checkpoint and further into Canada. The investigation identified approximately 51 firearms trafficked from New Hampshire, with at least ten later recovered at Canadian crime scenes.

Sentencing and Broader Implications

The defendants face sentencing in early 2027, with Oakes scheduled for February 23, Terrance for February 19, and both Gibson and Cook for February 16. The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasized the sophisticated nature of the trafficking network, which exploited gun dealers and straw purchasers to facilitate further criminal activities, including violent crimes like kidnapping and attempted murder.

The investigation received assistance from multiple agencies, including the Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, Canada Border Services Agency, and several U.S. law enforcement bodies. The collaboration between federal, Canadian, and tribal authorities was crucial in dismantling the network and addressing the cross-border trafficking of firearms, drugs, and humans.