Gordon Van Gilder, a 72-year-old retired teacher in New Jersey, could face a decade behind bars for being in possession of a gun as a historical object.
The antique flintlock pistol Van Gilder isn’t excluded the state’s law on guns. He faces a minimum sentence of three years and could get his teacher’s pension taken away.
Van Gilder’s attorney, Evan Nappen, told Fox News this charge is “outrageous” since the gun hasn’t been shot since the 1700s.
“It’s crazy. The gun was unloaded and strictly possessed as a historical relic,” he said. “We’re hoping the prosecutor will exercise discretion and dismiss his case.”
Van Gilder, a retired English teacher and collector of 18th century historical items, was charged with criminal possession of a handgun when he was pulled over for a minor traffic violation last year. He had the gun in his glove compartment after having recently purchasing it.
In an interview with NRA News, Van Gilder said, “I’m charged with a felony. That could ruin my life. That could hurt my pension that I spent 34 years acquiring. And I couldn’t vote. It’s not right, it’s not fair. “