Local News

Mass. man charged after grandson brings loaded gun to preschool

School staff called police when they found the gun, which held a fully loaded 10-round magazine.

HOLYOKE, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man whose 5-year-old grandson got a hold of his loaded handgun and brought it to preschool pleaded not guilty to related charges on Tuesday.

Juan Barreto-Hernandez, 53, of Holyoke, was released without bail after pleading not guilty in district court to improper storage of a firearm and reckless endangerment of a child, Masslive.com reported.

The boy brought Barreto-Hernandez’s .22-caliber, semi-automatic Ruger in his backpack to the E.N. White School on Dec. 6, police said.

School staff called police when they found the gun, which held a fully loaded 10-round magazine, police said.

The child never removed the gun from the backpack and no one was hurt.

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The child had apparently visited his grandfather before going to school, Lt. James Albert said.

Barreto-Hernandez was licensed to carry the gun, Albert said.

It was not immediately clear who represented Barreto-Hernandez in court.

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