James Stumbo, 28, and Kevin Norton, 19, were each charged with unlawful possession of the guns and ammunition and initially pled not guilty (see “'Pokemon' Pair Enter Pleas Today”). According to The Boston Globe, in the plea agreement, Stumbo pled guilty to possession of a rifle, and Norton pled guilty to possession of a shotgun. The pair both pled guilty to possession of around 300 rounds of ammunition.
Stumbo and Norton have already spent nearly a year in jail. They will be required to serve two years probation. According to Suffolk Superior Court Judge Rosalind Miller, the pair have “firm roots” in Iowa, and may petition the court to serve their probation there.
Robert LeRoy, Norton’s attorney, said the incident was an “error in judgement” on the part of the defendants for not properly researching Massachusetts gun laws, which are much stricter than laws in Iowa.
The pair had made threats, according to the district attorney’s office, included references to “Columbine pt 2,” “another Boston Massacre,” and “Boston bombing” by other individuals in a Facebook chatroom conversation.. Stumbo also said “Keven Norton and I are ready for worlds Boston here we come!!!” under a photo of Norton’s car with the AR-15 and a shotgun displayed on its trunk (see “Arrests, Weapons Charges at Pokemon World Championships”).
LeRoy claim the photos of the guns were a proclamation that Stumbo and Norton would be successful at the convention, not an actual threat to use firearms. He further stated that the threatening remarks to other Pokemon players online were part of a minor feud from a previous competition.
“It was pretty adolescent stuff, but it wasn’t threatening in any capacity,” LeRoy said.
