Washington State Senator Arrested in China for Carrying Gun

Republican state Sen. Jeff Wilson of Washington has found himself in a bit of a pickle.

According to reports, Wilson discovered the gun when he reached into his luggage for a piece of gum.

Wilson reported the “mistake” to authorities as soon as he landed.

Mistake

I am trying to figure out how someone can have a handgun in their luggage and not realize they have it, but that is the story that Wilson is trying to sell.

Wilson’s version of the story is a bit different from the reports that first surfaced from Chinese authorities.

In the original report, it was stated that Chinese authorities were the ones that found the gun during a bag check, which Wilson says was “incorrect.”

Wilson stated, "It was an honest mistake, and I expect the situation to be resolved shortly.”

Wilson’s office stated, "When the plane landed, he immediately went to customs officials and called their attention to the issue.”

The Washington Republican was arrested and charged with possession of an unregistered firearm.

Wilson does have a concealed carry permit, but he is not licensed to carry the weapon in China.

He was released on bail, but he is facing charges. If convicted, he could be sentenced to 14 years in prison as well as a fine of up to $12,800.

Wilson was also forced to surrender his passport.

A spokesperson for TSA commented on the incident, "Firearms are not permitted in the secure area of airports and represents an expensive mistake for those who are stopped at checkpoints with firearms in their possession.

"The penalty for bringing a firearm to a TSA checkpoint may be as high as $15,000, and those stopped are ineligible for TSA PreCheck for up to five years."

Well, then can someone please explain how Wilson managed to get through a TSA checkpoint with a carry-on that had a weapon in it? I say let's check the tapes and see what really happened.