Marty Christopher McDaniel, owner of The Gold King in Hickory, N.C., appeared in federal court today after being indicted alongside Kenny Price for allegedly conspiring to sell stolen retail property.
The indictment, returned by a Charlotte grand jury, alleges that from 2020 to 2024, McDaniel and Price operated as "fences," purchasing stolen goods from "boosters" – individuals who steal merchandise from major retailers like The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, and Best Buy. They then resold these items through McDaniel’s e-commerce stores on platforms such as eBay, Mercari, and Whatnot.
This operation reportedly generated over $580,000 from sales to customers across the United States and internationally. Both McDaniel, 65, of Hickory, and Price, 44, of Conover, N.C., face one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson credited the FBI and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley is prosecuting the case. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.