Questions surround DC gun arrest of poultry exec

WASHINGTON (AP) — There are questions this morning about the arrest of a South Carolina pork-and-poultry executive who allegedly tried to enter a congressional office building in Washington with a handgun in his bag.

U.S. Capitol Police say 59-year-old Ronald William Prestage (PRESS’-tij) of Camden, South Carolina, was arrested as he tried to enter the Cannon House Office Building Wednesday morning with a loaded 9 mm Ruger. Prestage was charged with carrying a pistol without a license.

Prestage is an executive of Prestage Farms, based in Clinton, North Carolina, and a member of the North Carolina State University Board of Trustees.

He also is president-elect of the National Pork Producers Council, a lobbying group.

Telephone messages left Thursday with Prestage Farms and at numbers for Prestage’s family and were not immediately returned.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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