McKeesport man pleads guilty to gun theft from North Huntingdon home

An Allegheny County man on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the theft of guns from a North Huntingdon home in 2021.

John Steven Hudak, 49, of McKeesport was charged nearly three years ago with the theft and illegal possession and sales of 13 guns from a home safe while its owner was out-of-town on a multi-week trip with his daughter.

According to court records, Hudak confessed to stealing guns from the safe to sell and trade for drugs.

Following a late 2023 court hearing, Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio dismissed 51 of the criminal counts. Bilik-DeFazio ruled prosecutors had insufficient evidence to support the case against Hudak involving all but three of the alleged stolen weapons.

Prosecutors appealed the ruling and last September a three-judge Pennsylvania Superior Court panel reinstated 50 counts. The appeals court ruled there was direct and circumstantial evidence that included photos found on Hudak’s cellphone of the alleged stolen guns and text messages seeking to sell or trade them for narcotics.

Hudak pleaded guilty four felony charges, one count each of possession of a prohibited firearm; theft, receiving stolen property and improperly selling a gun. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining 62 counts.

The judge will conduct a sentencing hearing later this year, where Hudak faces up to 20 years in prison, according to court records.

Hudak, who served a year in jail before his bond was reduced to $75,000 last September, will remain free until his sentencing, the judge said.