ATLANTA — A Canadian man has been arrested and sentenced to federal prison for attempting to traffic guns to Ontario.
Sourivahn Phonthepsone, 24, a Canadian citizen was surveilled over a three-month period in 2023 where he plotted to purchase 50 firearms for $40,000 from a source in Atlanta, Georgia, with the intent of transporting the firearms to Canada for resale.
Law enforcement officials say in August 2023, Phonthepsone lived in Ontario and began communicating with a source in the United States about acquiring firearms. Phonthepsone asked the source to provide a quote for the price of each firearm.
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He also offered to travel to the United States to meet the source in person.
On Oct. 6, 2023, Phonthepsone flew from Toronto to Atlanta and arranged to meet with the undercover agent on Oct. 11 to make a deal to buy the guns.
Phonthepsone met the undercover agent at a storage unit in Fairburn, Georgia, where he gave the agent $40,000 in cash for the guns. After he initiated the transfer for some of the 50 firearms, ATF special agents arrested him without incident.
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He was sentenced to seven years in prison, along with three years of supervised release.
“The arrest and conviction of this individual represent a significant victory in the fight against international firearms trafficking,” said ATF Assistant Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones. “Our agents executed a meticulously planned operation, ensuring that dangerous weapons never made it into criminal hands. ATF will continue to be relentless in its pursuit of those who endanger public safety.”
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