Edmonton man sentenced for 3D-printed ghost guns, seized note referenced Montreal massacre
Roy Tucker, 31, manufactured plastic Glock receivers in his north Edmonton home as part of a Canada-wide investigation into untraceable firearms.
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A 31-year-old Edmonton man is being sentenced this week for manufacturing and possessing untraceable 3D-printed firearms, part of a Canada-wide crackdown on "ghost guns" that concluded in 2024.
Roy Tucker, a mechanical engineering technologist, used a 3D printer in his north Edmonton home to manufacture plastic receivers for Glock handguns. Police found three receivers that successfully fired when investigators fitted them with slides, and eight more that could be assembled with minimal additional work. Parts for five additional guns were also discovered in his workshop. Before his arrest, Tucker held a legal possession and acquisition licence, including for restricted firearms, and police found 38 lawfully owned firearms when they searched.
Tucker came to police attention through Project Reproduction, a Quebec-based operation that began in late 2022. The investigation centred on Joel Hector, a Montreal man charged with firearms offences in June 2024 after a U.S. company sent him hundreds of "rails" used to 3D-print Glock-style handguns. Tucker sent Hector an e-transfer for 12 rail kits on January 30, 2023. Police obtained a search warrant based on customs records and searched Tucker's home later that year. He turned himself in after charges were sworn in February 2024 and pleaded guilty to manufacturing and possessing illegal firearms earlier this year.
Prosecutor Kerri Facchinutti is asking for a 4-1/2 year prison sentence. Police seized a handwritten page from Tucker's home that included notes about Bill C-21, the federal legislation that froze handgun sales and cracked down on ghost guns, along with the phrase "gender based violence prevent" and an unattributed quote: "I remember where I was during Montreal Polytechnique shooting." That 1989 shooting, in which a misogynist killed 14 female engineering students, has become a touchstone in Canadian gun-control debates. "To make note of this quote and then completely undermine the firearms safety regime is either incredibly concerning for public safety, or at minimum in poor taste," Facchinutti told the court. The defence has yet to comment on the note. Facchinutti acknowledged no evidence that Tucker tried to sell any of the 3D-printed firearms.
What sentence did Tucker ultimately receive?
Has the RCMP identified other Edmonton residents involved in similar 3D-printing operations?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
Who is Roy Tucker?
Roy Tucker is a 31-year-old mechanical engineering technologist from north Edmonton who manufactured 3D-printed plastic Glock receivers in his home.
How many 3D-printed gun receivers did police find at Tucker's home?
Police found three receivers that successfully fired, eight more that could be assembled with minimal additional work, and parts for five additional guns.
What is Project Reproduction?
Project Reproduction is a Quebec-based investigation that began in late 2022 and centred on the distribution of 3D-printed firearm components, leading to charges against multiple individuals including Tucker.
What sentence is the prosecutor seeking for Tucker?
Prosecutor Kerri Facchinutti is asking for a 4-1/2 year prison sentence.
