Recently unsealed court documents reveal that authorities recovered a loaded SKS-style 7.62x39 caliber rifle with a scope from the area where a fugitive, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, fled after being spotted by a Secret Service agent on Sunday.
The recovery was made by Secret Service agents, who also found a digital camera and two bags, including a backpack, in the possession of Routh. A black-and-white photo of the recovered items was included in an affidavit submitted by Mark A. Thomas, an FBI special agent.
Routh has been charged with two serious offenses - possession of a firearm while being a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted, he could potentially face significant prison time as per court documents.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison along with three years of supervised release. On the other hand, the possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number offense carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and three years of supervised release.
