Jeff Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Washington Senate from the 19th district | |
| Assumed office January 11, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Dean Takko |
| Member of the Longview Port Commission District 1 | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Darold D. Dietz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stephen Jeffrey Wilson 1959 or 1960 (age 63–64)[1] |
| Political party | Republican |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Official |
Stephen Jeffrey Wilson (born 1959 or 1960) is an American businessman and politician of the Republican Party. In 2020, he was elected to the Washington State Senate to represent the 19th legislative district and took office on January 11, 2021.[2][3] Wilson is also a Port of Longview commissioner.
Firearm incident[edit]
Wilson was arrested and charged with unlicensed possession of a firearm in Hong Kong on October 21, 2023, after being found with a revolver at the Hong Kong International Airport.[4] The gun was legally licensed in Washington State, but not in Hong Kong.[5] According to Wilson, he discovered the unloaded firearm in his carry-on luggage mid-flight. He alerted Customs officers and was subsequently arrested for possession of arms without licence, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail and a fine of $100,000 HKD.[6][7]
After his initial court hearing, Wilson and his family had verbal exchanges with reporters at the courthouse, leading to police mediation. Wilson was said to have verbally abused the reporters and asked them to delete any photos taken outside of the courthouse.[4][8] He was ordered to surrender his travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong until his next court date. On October 30, 2023, Principal Magistrate Don So ordered the firearm confiscated and bound over Wilson to keep the peace for 2 years. As all legal proceedings have ended, Wilson was free to leave Hong Kong to continue his vacation.
References[edit]
- ^ "Like other 19th District Republicans, Wilson on track for victory". The Daily News. 2020-11-05. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ^ "Canvass of the Returns of the General Election Held on November 3, 2020" (PDF). State of Washington Secretary of State. 1 December 2020.
- ^ "About - Meet Jeff Wilson". wastateleg.org. 21 October 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ a b Kesslen, Ben (2023-10-23). "Washington State Senator Arrested in Hong Kong After Gun Found in His Luggage at Airport". The Messenger. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ "State Sen. Jeff Wilson arrested for firearm possession in Hong Kong airport". The Daily Chronicle. 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
- ^ ‘I reached for gum and felt my gun’: Hong Kong court acquits US politician over airport firearms charge
- ^ US state senator acquitted of illegal firearms possession in Hong Kong
- ^ Standard, The. "US state senator charged for illegal possession of firearms". The Standard. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
External links[edit]