Gun Charges Dismissed Against Washington State Senator

A Republican state senator who got himself in hot water overseas is now breathing a sigh of relief.

Washington State Senator Jeff Wilson had been charged after illegally carrying a gun into China.

Reports were all over the place when the story first hit the newswire, but everything has since been cleared up, and the charges against Wilson have been dropped.

Free to Go

Somehow, Wilson managed to get through TSA in the United States and board a plane with an unloaded revolver in his carry-on bag.

Wilson claimed that he reached into his bag to get some gum, then realized his revolver was in his bag. He says he then went to the authorities when he landed to make them aware that he accidentally carried a weapon on the plane.

Initial reports stated that customs authorities in China found the weapon doing a routine bag search, which Wilson denied ever happening.

Wilson stated, "This was a mistake on my part, and I regret it.

"I packed quickly and failed to check the contents of my briefcase. Over the Pacific, I reached into my briefcase for gum and felt my gun instead. My heart sank."

It would appear that Wilson’s version was accurate, as prosecutors told the court that he admitted he had the weapon to authorities in an open manner, and Principal Magistrate Don So stated that he was inclined to believe Wilson was innocent.

Wilson is being released, but he will be required to keep the peace and commit no further firearm violations for the next two years. He was also fined $255.

Had the court not believed Wilson, he could have been fined as much as $12,800 and been sent to prison for as long as 14 years.

I am guessing next time he will pay a little more attention to where he keeps his gun.