Politics

Report: Prosecutors to pursue felony charges against ex-soldier for possessing high-capacity magazine

Patrick Howley Political Reporter
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New York prosecutors will pursue felony criminal charges against retired special forces soldier Nathan Haddad, who was arrested in LeRay, New York in January for allegedly possessing five 30-round AR-15 magazines, according to conservative law blog Legal Insurrection.

Prosecutors had reportedly offered Haddad a plea bargain that would spare him jail time if he admitted to five misdemeanors, according to Legal Insurrection. But Haddad’s attorney told the blog that Haddad, who currently works at the Department of Defense, will not accept the deal.

It is unclear how Haddad was arrested or discovered with the magazines.

Haddad was deployed four times during his ten-year Army career, and was once injured during special forces training in South Korea. He was discharged in October 2010.

A website established to pay Haddad’s legal expenses has collected more than $35,000.

In January, “Meet the Press” moderator David Gregory displayed a high-capacity magazine live on television, despite a warning from local police. But prosecutors in Washington, D.C. — where, unlike New York, the offense is merely a misdemeanor — declined to press charges. (RELATED OPINION: Apparently, gun laws don’t apply to David Gregory)

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