Skip to content

Second Capitol Hill Gun Case Ends With Plea Deal

Prestage was sentenced to probation and fines for carrying a loaded firearm into the Cannon House Office Building. (Hannah Hess/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
Prestage was sentenced to probation and fines for carrying a loaded firearm into the Cannon House Office Building. (Hannah Hess/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

About three months after he was arrested at a security checkpoint in the Cannon House Office Building, Ronald Prestage pleaded guilty to two District of Columbia gun charges.  

The South Carolina pork executive’s defense attorney appeared in a downtown D.C. courthouse on Tuesday morning to file guilty pleas to charges of possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.  

Prestage initially faced charges of carrying a pistol outside a home or business — a felony that carries up to five years in prison and $5,000 fine. Under the terms of a plea agreement with U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ronald C. Machen Jr., offered after a court ruling dismantled D.C. gun laws, penalties were much lighter.  

D. C. Superior Court Associate Judge John McCabe sentenced Prestage to 30 days in jail, but suspended the sentence, meaning he would not be locked up. Prestage has been ordered to serve six months unsupervised probation, which means he is not required to report to a probation officer. McCabe ordered Prestage to pay $100 in court costs by the end of the year and comply with gun offender registration requirements, according to court documents.  

Capitol Police found a loaded semi-automatic pistol and magazine in Prestage’s briefcase on July 23 — only a few days after cops arrested Capitol Hill aide Ryan Shucard after finding a 9mm handgun in his bag. Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., reinstated Shucard as his press secretary in late September following a similar plea agreement.  

RELATED:

Capitol Hill Staffer Arrested on Gun Charge Returns to Work


Pork Executive Was Carrying ‘Fully Functional’ Pistol, Police Say


U.S. Attorney Offers Plea Deals in Capitol Hill Gun Cases


Capitol Police Stop Another Gun From Entering Cannon Building (Updated)


Roll Call Election Map: Race Ratings for Every Seat


Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone.

Recent Stories

Trump vague on tariffs after Norway PM meetings

Judge halts Trump push for proof of citizenship to register to vote

Federal judge blocks US funding freeze for sanctuary jurisdictions

At the Races: The shifting Latino vote

US asks Supreme Court to allow transgender service ban

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton enters race to succeed Durbin in Senate