Cody Wilson, the gun rights advocate known for his mission to offer blueprints allowing Americans to create guns using 3D printers, is out on bail Monday after being charged with sexual assault of a child over the weekend.
Wilson, who traveled to Taiwan after an arrest warrant was issued for him, was deported back to the U.S. on September 22. If found guilty of the charges, Wilson faces up to 20 years in prison and could be barred from owning a firearm due to state and federal regulations.
According to authorities, Wilson allegedly sexually assaulted a 16-year old girl, paying $500 for sex with her at a hotel. It’s not clear, say police, if Wilson knew the girl’s age. But police who interviewed her say she looks younger than 16, rather than older.
Bail for Wilson was posted at $150,000. His lawyer, Samy Khalil, told the BBC, “We are glad that Cody is back in Texas again where we can work with him on his case. That’s our focus right now, representing our client and preparing his defense.”
Wilson’s nonprofit firm, Defense Distributed, has clashed with Democratic-led states over plans to publish gun blueprints online. The Austin-based company provides templates of various firearms on its website, which users can download and produce at home on 3D printers.
Wilson had been scheduled to speak at a Second Amendment conference in Chicago over the weekend, but that was cancelled as word of the arrest warrant for him became known. Gun rights activists have argued that untraceable guns are prohibited under federal law, so making the 3D printer templates available is nothing more than a technological advancement.