In a story with so many bizarre layers, North Carolina evangelical pastor David McGee allegedly flew on his private jet across the country, laden with weapons and fentanyl, to rescue his daughter from the notorious Las Vegas tunnel system. He was arrested by police just off the strip in the iconic STRAT Hotel, Casino, and Tower, though ironically, he was the one who initially made contact with police first before they discovered his cache of arms and drugs.
Further mystifying the entire episode, McGee had already been warned once about possessing firearms within the hotel after allegedly being caught carrying a shotgun onto the hotel premises just days earlier. Las Vegas, understandably, doesn’t mess around with such behavior after being the site of the deadliest mass shooting in American history. As the story goes, a lone gunman named Stephen Paddock fired over 1,000 rounds onto a nearby country music concert, killing 60 people and injuring more than 400 more.
It’s unclear what exactly transpired after he was caught bringing a shotgun into his hotel room, who confronted him about it, or whether police were even notified in a city highly cognizant of potential future threats, but reports indicate he was in town for a few more days following the initial run-in and only later got police involved because he took it upon himself to call them when an “item” was missing from his hotel room. While not confirmed, it seems likely one of these supposed missing items was a carry-on from his private-jet flight – be it arms, drugs, or money – as most normal tourists don’t alert authorities to an absent recliner.
Police arrived at his room, on the 20th of August, 2024, and asked him if there were any guns in the room. This could indicate they were aware of his background or could just be a regular question they ask when dealing with these visits. McGee applied in the affirmative, saying there was one in a guitar case. Police found multiple firearms, including an AR-15 with a scope in the room.
And in yet another plot twist, despite the repeated firearm policy violation and possession of about $1,000 worth of fentanyl, which he essentially admitted he planned on distributing, albeit to his daughter, McGee’s legal journey seemed oddly nondescript. He did not get a booking photo on the day of his arrest, nor did he appear the following day (August 21st, 2024) for what was supposed to be his probable cause hearing. In the latter case, undisclosed medical issues were cited as obstructing his ability to appear before a judge. He also did not receive any bail from the judge and was directed to come back for a December hearing.
The Christian Tribune previously covered this story, writing that McGee had made a Facebook post while in Las Vegas. It likewise noted that McGee’s social media presence has been non-existent since the ordeal last summer. “He wrote that he was traveling from North Carolina to Vegas to find his daughter. He surmised she was living in a drainage tunnel. ‘“Pls [sic] pray for me as I go get my daughter from the worst [and] scariest place for my daughter in America… the Las Vegas tunnels.’ He has not made any social media posts since his arrest.”
The tunnel systems, where McGee’s daughter was suggested to be residing, are a fascinating story unto themselves. Originally constructed to help with flood control, they’ve more recently devolved into a lawless homeless shelter where up to an estimated 1,500 people reside. There was no word in reports whether or not David McGee’s daughter was rescued from this hellhole or even if she was there in the first place or is not there anymore. McGee was a no-show on his court date, his social media presence dropped to zero, and subsequent efforts from local news affiliates never garnered a response.
Below is a recorded sermon delivered by McGee. In it, one definitely gets the sense he is an eccentric individual after listening to the speech, speech patterns, and word choices.
Featured image: Screen shot from embedded video