Luis Angel Vega Charged With Carrying Gun Into US Capitol Complex

Luis Angel Vega, the chief of staff for Rep. Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican, was charged Wednesday with bringing a firearm into the US Capitol complex, according to court documents obtained by CNN.

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Vega appeared in DC Superior Court Friday on two counts: carrying a gun outside his home without a license and carrying a firearm onto the Capitol grounds.

CNN

The charges stem from an alleged incident in December, when Capitol security officers found a black pistol and ammunition after Vega sent his bag through a security checkpoint at the entrance of a House office building that’s part of the Capitol complex.

After officers instructed Vega to lock up the firearm in his car and then return for his bag to be re-screened, the filings say he complied.

Vega was in handcuffs and his white button-down shirt was untucked, and a judge released him without setting bail.

Court documents describe a telephone interview that US Capitol Police conducted with Vega a week after the alleged December 22 episode.

In the filings, Vega told the police officer that he did not have a license to carry the pistol.

CNN

The charging documents also describe that usually Vega enters the House office building with Sessions—referred to as “Witness-1” in the documents—who is exempt from being screened by the mags.

The filings say, "The day of the offense was out of the ordinary in that Witness-1 entered the building separately from the defendant and the defendant forgot there was a pistol in his bag."

CNN reported that it was not clear why the warrant for Vega’s arrest was issued months after the incident, and Vega’s first court appearance was set for Friday.

CNN reported that it reached out to Session’s office for comment, while a lawyer for Vega has not yet been identified.

The US Capitol Police didn’t immediately return requests for comment, and the US Attorney’s Office declined to comment Friday on its decision to charge the case.

Vega’s next court appearance is set for June 10, according to CNN’s report.

The case traces back to the alleged December 22 episode, when Capitol security officers found the black pistol and ammunition at a House office building entrance.

CNN also noted that Ellis Kim contributed to the report, and the charging documents were obtained by CNN.