Retired Marine Richard Zahn, a North Carolina resident, has been arrested on firearms charges. He went to Hackensack, NJ to check on his ill mother, and was threatened by a convicted felon outside the facility his mother was in.

"The felon, who was wearing yellow and black clothing associated with the Latin Kings street gang, approached Zahn while yelling, cursing, making gang-related gestures, and issuing verbal threats. Zahn felt threatened by the younger and larger man and so he told the assailant he had a gun. The verbal assault continued so Zahn then brought his holstered gun out into the open, hoping the sight of it would discourage the assailant. When all else failed, Zahn took his rifle from the vehicle, but as with the handgun, did not point it at anyone or make any threat to use it. Finally, the convicted drug dealer went away. By the way, according to Zahn’s attorney, this record of events was confirmed by both the assailant and his wife who had been in the car with him. Zahn then went to see his mother.

After caring for his mother, Zahn was met in the facility parking lot by local police who arrested him for possession of the guns. Despite his full cooperation with police, despite his completely unblemished record, despite the fact he never actually fired the weapon or even aimed it in the direction of anyone, despite the fact he legally owned the guns in North Carolina, Zahn was sentenced to 364 days in jail in New Jersey.

As a result of this arrest and his incarceration, Richard Zahn will lose his security clearance. He will lose his ability to work as a contractor and train Marines. After sixty days in jail he will lose his pension and medical coverage. His attorney is scheduled to attend a hearing today to appeal his sentence."

Source: Allen West, allenbwest.com