Judge: Man caught with stolen pistol in his pants will be locked up

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A 19-year-old man caught riding around town with a loaded pistol in his pants will serve jail time, according to Fayette County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven Beathard.

Shawn Goslin, of Washington Court House, recently plead guilty to charges of carrying a concealed weapon and receiving stolen property, each a fourth-degree felony.

Kathryn Hapner, Goslin’s defense attorney, said it is a presumptive community control case. Jess Weade, Fayette County Prosecutor, said Goslin has no prior criminal record and the state is recommending community control although probation is not mandatory.

Judge Beathard said the community control sentencing aligns with the state’s purposes and principles guidelines and that Goslin has a right to appeal if a prison term is imposed.

The felony charges arose from an incident May 1 in Washington Court House, according to Weade. Goslin was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by the Washington Police Department near Short and Broadway streets. Reports said the officer smelled marijuana inside the vehicle. Upon asking Goslin to exit the vehicle, an officer found that he had a loaded 40-caliber handgun in the waistband of his pants, reports said.

After listening to the state describe the incident in court, Beathard asked Goslin, “When officers approached the vehicle, did you have your hands up in the air and tell them that you had a loaded handgun on your person?”

Goslin said, “No—but I wasn’t going to hide it from them.”

It was discovered through the investigation of the incident that the handgun’s serial number had been intentionally scratched off and was reported stolen.

Beathard said the Fayette County Adult Probation will have Goslin write his version of the offense in a report that will be considered before sentencing.

“I think it’s an egregious form of the offense,” said Beathard. “What made you think you could ride around town with a loaded handgun in your pants? This is pretty serious for a 19-year-old who has no CCW license and has a gun. It’s not that you had a gun, it’s that you had it in your waistband and was outside of the vehicle.”

Goslin stated that he was not aware that the gun was stolen when he bought it.

“If I place you on probation, you’re going to jail. Probation can include local jail time up to 180 days,” said Beathard. “If I don’t place you on probation, you’re going to prison. Either way, you’re going to be locked up for this offense.”

The sentencing will be determined after Goslin completes a pre-sentence interview with the Fayette County Adult Probation Department. Beathard said he wants Goslin to tell the probation department how and where he got the gun before the probation department makes its sentencing recommendation.

Sentencing in the matter is scheduled for Nov. 20. Goslin faces a maximum prison sentence of three years and a fine of $10,000.

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By Ashley Bunton

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Reach Ashley at (740) 313-0355 or connect on Twitter by searching Twitter.com for @ashbunton

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