MIAMI, FL – Mackenzie Delmas, 27, of Delray Beach, Florida, is headed to federal prison for nearly two decades after being sentenced for his role as a kingpin in an international firearms smuggling operation. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman, sends a clear message: arming criminals across borders won’t be tolerated.
Delmas, a convicted felon, orchestrated the scheme between 2018 and 2019. Barred from legally purchasing firearms himself, he cleverly exploited loopholes at South Florida gun shows, using a network of “straw buyers” to acquire weapons on his behalf. These buyers falsely claimed the guns were for their own use, when, in reality, they were destined for Delmas and ultimately, beyond U.S. borders.
Over a little more than one year, Delmas amassed 25 firearms through this illicit method. The operation didn’t remain undetected for long. In September 2018, Canadian authorities intercepted some of the smuggled weapons as they crossed the border from New York into Canada. Further evidence surfaced in November 2019 when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police seized another firearm linked directly to Delmas during a separate criminal investigation.
The sentencing of Delmas marks a significant victory in a larger case that has seen seven defendants convicted in the Southern District of Florida. However, the investigation remains ongoing, with two additional suspects – Shalena Mary Haynes and Enza Esposito – currently at large and considered fugitives. U.S. Attorney Juan Antonio Gonzalez and ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson jointly announced the sentence, highlighting the collaborative effort to dismantle this dangerous network.
The investigation was a massive undertaking, involving a coalition of federal, state, and international law enforcement agencies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the charge, with crucial assistance from the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, the U.S. Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and numerous Canadian police forces, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and police services in Montreal, Ontario, and Toronto.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McMichael and former DOJ Anti-Trust Trial Attorney Paola Henry successfully prosecuted the case. Court documents related to case number 19-cr-80045 are publicly available on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida website at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or through the PACER system at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. Delmas’s 200-month (16.67 years) sentence underscores the severity of his crimes and the dedication of law enforcement to combating international firearms trafficking.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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