An elderly man from Hanover NJ has been sentenced to probation for allegedly carrying a loaded rifle into a senior housing facility.

The suspect, an 84-year-old resident of the Hanover senior complex, reportedly walked into the building while in possession of a .22-caliber rifle. According to law enforcement officials, the rifle was placed over the suspect’s walker.

Other people who reside at the senior center were alarmed and dialed 911 to notify the Hanover Township Police Department. When Hanover cops got to the scene, they arrested the suspect and seized his gun.

Police later determined that the rifle had been loaded with ammunition.

Morris County prosecutors charged the suspect with several weapons offenses. If he had fought the charges at trial, he could have face significant prison time.

However, the suspect avoid prison by reaching a plea agreement with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. Instead of being sentenced to a term of incarceration, the suspect was sentenced to three years of probation.

The suspect reportedly has a prior criminal conviction for endangering the welfare of a child in Essex County, New Jersey. The terms of the suspect’s previous plea deal on the sex crime charges required him to register as a convicted sex offender under Megan’s Law.

For further information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Man, 84, Who Slung a Loaded Rifle Over His Walker Gets Probation.”