Mazda3Club.com : The Original Mazda3 Forum - Boy charged with aiming bazooka at motorist

http://lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/9815

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - A 17-year-old Mount Joy resident will head to court Wednesday for allegedly pointing a Stinger surface-to-air-missile rocket launcher at a motorist.

The high school senior, whose identity is being protected because he is a minor, is charged with one count each of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, possession of a prohibited offensive weapon and possession of firearms by a minor.

Because he is a minor, his fate will be determined by a judge, and he likely will spend no time in jail. Had the youth been charged as an adult and convicted on all counts, he could have faced a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and $32,500 in fines.

Assistant District Attorney Monica Mosely has been assigned to the case.

West Hempfield Township police Chief Mark Pugliese said the rocket launcher was unarmed at the time of the teen's arrest but could have been rigged to fire live rounds.

"Anybody with even minimal knowledge could have made something inert that could have been inserted into the tube," Pugliese said. "It's a reloadable weapon.

"From what I understand it was a real weapon on display in the recruiting station," Pugliese said. "The recruiters were led to believe that he was going to mount it on a platform for them. He may still eventually. It depends on what happens to the weapon."

In a report filed by police Cpl. Russell C. Greier, the rocket launcher was given to the teenager by Marine Corps Sgt. Duane Resh "for the purpose of mounting the weapon on a wood plaque to be displayed in the office."

The weapon was to be put on display at a Lancaster recruitment office. Resh no longer works at the office.

Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Wright, who works at a Harrisburg recruiting station, said the weapon was donated to the Marine Corps to be put on display.

"It was donated to us to use as a decorative item in the recruiting station, and we want to use it for that purpose and that purpose alone," Wright said.

Typically weapons seized from minors are forfeited to the stateor, if stolen, returned to the lawful owner. If the weapons areforfeited to the state, they are destroyed.

Wright said the Marine Corps will ask for the weapon back.

According to Greier's report, a worried motorist called police about 7 p.m. on Aug. 31 to report a "suspicious male wearing black clothing" and hiding in some bushes with "what appeared to be a bazooka" on Parkside Court, between Center Street and Laurel Lane in West Hempfield Township.

When police arrived, they found a youth that matched the caller's description, but they found no weapon, according to Greier's report.

The youth told police he had a "Stinger missile rocket launcher" and that he had gotten it from the Marines. At first he agreed to show it to police, Greier said in the criminal complaint, but when officers said it was possible the weapon would be confiscated, the teen refused to cooperate and show them the weapon.

A scuffle ensued after the teen attempted to retrieve the weapon from the house, and he had to be physically restrained, according to Greier's report.

"After a brief verbal disturbance" with the teenager's mother, she eventually turned the rocket launcher over to police. Greier said he spoke with Resh, who confirmed it was a military-issued weapon.

"He further advised it was a real missile launcher," Greier said in his report. "It was not armed at the present; however, it could be re-equipped to fire again."

An online search of military annexes indicates the estimated value of a Stinger missile rocket-launch-tube assembly is $1,000to $2,400.

what a dumbass. what kind of marine corps sargent gives a teenager a rocket launcher??? i know the kid and he's not the smartest cookie in the jar. i hope his parents gave him a good beating