Ohio Gunman's Friend Faces Up To 20 Years In Jail In Connection To Shooting - Attorney

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th August, 2019) A friend of Dayton mass shooting gunman Connor Betts is facing up to 20 years in prison for possessing firearms while using controlled substances and lying about his drug use on the firearm forms, US Attorney Benjamin Glassman said during a press conference on Monday.

"Anyone who is discovered to have any culpability... in any way to the events on August 4 is going to be held criminally responsible," Glassman said referring to Bett's friend Ethan Kollie. "Not only is possessing controlled substances illegal, but possessing controlled substances and possessing a firearm is itself a crime."

Kollie, admitted to investigators that he had purchased for Betts body armor, the upper receiver of an AR-15 and the 100-round double drum magazine that was eventually used in the shooting, Glassman said.

Glassman added that Kollie faces up to 15 years in prison for possessing a firearm while using controlled substances and faces another five years for lying about his drug use on his firearm forms.

Kollie admitted to investigators that he regularly used marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms, Glassman said.

Glassman pointed out that there is no evidence or allegations that Kollie intentionally participated in the planning of Betts' shooting. Kollie hid the body armor and gun parts for Betts because he was keeping it a secret from his parents.

On August 4, Betts killed nine people and wounded 27 others in a shooting in the Ohio city of Dayton.