A man shipped himself from New York City to Dallas inside a wooden airplane cargo crate, arriving Saturday morning on his parents' doorstep in DeSoto.

Charles D. McKinley, 25, of New York City pried open the crate with a crowbar, shook the hand of a shocked deliveryman and walked away, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

Unlike the tight federal security for airline passengers, air cargo receives little federal scrutiny and is the responsibility of the company that ships the freight.

The source close to the investigation said Mr. McKinley spent at least half a day in the crate and broke out just in time for the deliveryman to see him.

"If he would have waited 15 minutes, he would have been fine and he would have been home free," the source said.

The deliveryman called DeSoto police, who arrested him on outstanding warrants in Garland and Dallas County. Police then contacted the FBI.

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