Prosecutor drops felony gun charge over retired schoolteacher's antique flintlock pistol
A felony gun case has been dropped against a retired New Jersey schoolteacher who admitted after a traffic stop by that he been carrying an unloaded antique flintlock pistol in the glove box of his vehicle.
Although federal law would have considered the the 225-year-old flintlock muzzleloader a collectible, it was treated as an ordinary pistol under state law. Gordon Van Gilder, 72, would had faced potential prison time and possible loss of his New Jersey pension if he had been convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon. Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae announced Wednesday that her office was exercising its discretion in dropping the Cumberland County case, reports the Daily Journal.
Van Gilder’s lawyer, Evan Nappen, expressed appreciation and said his client will now seek to regain possession of the pistol, which he described as a valuable collector’s item.
Van Gilder reportedly had just purchased the weapon at a pawn shop and was returning home with it when the November traffic stop occurred.
Hat tip: Fox News
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Retired teacher faces felony gun charge over antique pistol in vehicle glove box”
