‘I grabbed my gum and felt my gun’: Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson LEFT gun charges in Hong Kong after telling judge it was an ‘honest mistake’ to take it to the airport

A Washington state senator who took a gun with him on a flight to Hong Kong has escaped a 14-year prison sentence after a court ruled it was a “horrendous accident.”

Republican Jeff Wilson was arrested at Hong Kong airport on October 21 at the start of a five-week holiday with his wife Trisha to Southeast Asia.

He had traveled through Portland and San Francisco airports with the gun in his briefcase and insisted he only found out after grabbing a “stick of gum” during the flight.

“Over the Pacific Ocean, I packed some gum in my briefcase and felt my gun instead,” he explained on his website.

‘My heart sank. I immediately understood what had happened and that my only option was to report it to the relevant authorities.’

The gun advocate in his home state sponsored a law this summer that made it easier for Washington museums to acquire historic firearms without background checks

The 2020 senator-elect denied reports that the weapon had been discovered during a search upon arrival, insisting he “immediately went to customs and drew their attention to the matter,” at the end of the 15-hour flight.

He said the revolver was unloaded and registered in Washington, where he has a concealed carry permit.

But he faced 14 years in prison in one of Hong Kong’s “penal institutions” and a $12,800 fine for arriving with a firearm not registered in the repressive Chinese territory.

Private ownership of weapons has been banned by the Chinese Communist Party in the tightly controlled area that was rocked by a series of pro-democracy protests in 2019 and 2020.

The city’s police commissioner only awards this to police officers, armed security forces and operators of exclusive shooting range clubs.

Wilson has been a strong pro-gun advocate in his home state and this summer sponsored a bill that made it easier for Washington museums to acquire historic firearms without the need for background checks.

He had planned visits to Shanghai, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia during his trip, but was ordered to surrender his travel documents before his first court appearance on October 23.

Senator Jeff Wilson, pictured with his wife Trisha, was at the start of a five-week holiday to Southeast Asia when he was arrested at Hong Kong airport

“The Chinese authorities have behaved in a professional manner and I commend them for their dedication,” he wrote

Chinese newspaper Sing Tao Daily reported that police were called when the senator angrily confronted photographers outside the courthouse, demanding they delete their photos before photographing them in turn.

He hid from photographers again today as he appeared before the West Kowloon Magistrates Court to learn his fate.

Chief Magistrate Don So approved a binding order in lieu of a plea for possession of a firearm without a licence, saying he was inclined to believe Wilson was innocent.

That order requires Wilson to keep the peace and not commit any new gun crimes for two years.

The magistrate said Wilson would be fined 2,000 Hong Kong dollars ($255) for violating the order if he does not comply.

But he could still face charges in the US because carrying firearms on board an aircraft is illegal under Transportation Security Administration restrictions.

The senator spent three days in jail after being arrested at Hong Kong airport at the start of his holiday

The senator claimed that he immediately handed the weapon over to officials at Hong Kong International Airport upon arrival before being arrested

Weapons may be carried in checked baggage, but the carrier must pack them in a container and declare them to the airline during check-in.

The Transportation Security Administration told Dailymail.com that it “takes this situation very seriously and is currently investigating the circumstances.”

A source suggested that staff did not notice the weapon as Wilson went through security at Portland International Airport and was not checked during the transfer to San Francisco because he “did not leave the sterile area.”

Wilson thanked Chinese authorities on his website, saying they “conducted themselves in a professional manner, and I commend them for their dedication.”

“This was a mistake on my part, and I regret it,” he added. ‘I packed quickly and couldn’t check the contents of my suitcase. ‘I think we can all learn from what happened here.

‘First of all, always check your hand luggage before going through airport security. But more importantly, when you make a mistake like this, showing respect and accepting responsibility is the right thing to do.”