Soldier Faces 15 Years in Prison for Carrying A Gun In New York Near Protests
A soldier was arrested in New York for possessing a loaded weapon near a police station on Ferry streets on Sixth Avenue. The Deputy Police Chief Dan DeWolf claims the arrest prevented a possibly deadly encounter with protesters taking part in Troy’s Rally for Black Lives Matter movement. However, the 22-year old Noah Latham is a U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division station at Fort Drum in Jefferson County.
Latham faces 15 years in prison after being charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He is held without bail at Rensselaer County jail, in Rensselaer County District. A spokesman for Fort Drum, where Latham is stationed as an E-4 drone specialist, Major Harold Huff, said they would not be involved in the case.
Latham was arrested in a group of other men dressed in military fatigues who were reported as “totting” military-style weapons on Congress and Ferry streets on Sixth Avenue. The other men in his company were detained but not charged although authorities say they may also face charges.
The arresting officer claimed that Latham and others were out to cause harm, although no evidence points to this assumption. By doing so, they hope to inject sensationalism that will divert the attention of the case and possibly justify more drastic measures against firearm holders.
Troy Mayor Patrick Madden was already milking the arrest and thanked the officers for arresting “several suspicious individuals carrying handguns.” Deputy Police Chief Dan DeWolf said his officers averted “what may have become a violent encounter that day.”
Latham initiated a Second Amendment sanctuary movement in Jefferson County. His petition led to county commissioners passing a resolution in support of the Second Amendment rights although they came short of declaring the county as a Second Amendment sanctuary.
Although Latham’s possession of a firearm in New York was as a result of poor judgement on his part, there is no justification for authorities to deny Americans the right to enjoy their Second Amendment rights.
Despite there being no political intentions in his arrest, it plays out in undermining his credibility as one of the proponents of the Second Amendment sanctuary movement in Jefferson County. It also paints out gun owners in a bad light and helps gun control activists in perpetuating the myth of gun owners as extremists who are up to no good.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is pushing universal background checks in our state, and if left unchecked, it will not be long until we see bills like this getting traction in Austin. Texas is embarrassingly ranked 29th for gun rights, and with the help of the political elites in Austin, we will surely rank among New York, California, and Illinois if left to their own devices. Please join our fight today, and help us restore Texas' place as the standard for the U.S.
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