A retired teacher is facing 10 years in prison and the loss of his state pension for possessing a flintlock pistol that may not have been fired since George Washington was alive, his attorney told FoxNews.com on Wednesday.
In a case that underscores the Garden State's strict gun laws, Gordon Van Gilder, a retired English teacher and collector of historical items, has been charged with criminal possession of a handgun and faces up to 10 years in prison. If the 72-year-old is convicted, the charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 3.5 years and the pension Van Gilder earned as an educator could be revoked, penalties attorney Evan Nappen called "outrageous.
“One of the undersheriffs said, ‘Well, let him go, it’s 250 years old,’" Van Gilder said. "But his boss, who is the sheriff, said, ‘No, we have to arrest him.’ Next morning, I am sleeping and hear pounding on the door, and 4 of them came and took me away with 3 or 4 sheriff’s cars -- I guess they didn’t have anything better to do with taxpayer money.”
“I was fingerprinted and I was chained by my legs to an ice cold bench. Apparently there must be a lot of drive-by flintlock shootings in North Jersey,” he quipped bitterly.
what was criminal about his possession of the handgun? Was he carrying it on his person without a CCW? It is legal to own handguns historic or otherwise in NJ as far as I know.
I agree it's BS no matter what the circumstances but they can't just come over to your house and arrest you for a flintlock....you have to do something else to get that.
What Shuteye said. This shouldn't go far, those who arrested him must not know federal law or firearm classification. He might even have a case against them.
Cactus, are you stupid? Here, let me explain it slowly for you. Not all Republicans are conservative. Some are quite liberal. Like Christie. He's really one of your guys, unless you have a childish team spectator sport mentality. Do you think that the players on your city's football team are all from your city? Do you get what I'm saying, here?
Puttergill was taken into custody on an outstanding Vineland Municipal Court contempt warrant, he told The Daily Journal on Friday. He also was charged with possessing two prescription pills that were not in their pharmacy container.
Sounnds like this guy p-doff somebody and they are after him. That being said the gun charge is still democrat patty, but so is riding around with a flintlock in your glove box. Only in Jersey.