Harrison Thorp
Monday, October 21, 2013 9:46 am
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A Portland man given to taking late-night strolls with a semi-automatic rifle at his side and wearing body armor was arrested in Lebanon earlier this month.
Carlos Reed, an Iraq War veteran and student at Southern Maine Community College, has told police he was exercising his second- and fourth-amendment rights in taking the walks, but Portland police have taken a dim view of such activities.
Reed’s confrontations with police came to light this weekend in a Sunday article in the Maine Sunday Telegram. Reed, who lives near the University of Southern Maine, has been spotted in several areas of the city walking and holding his rifle in a “low ready” position, the newspaper reported.
Maine State Police Lt. Louis Nyitray, commander of Troop A in Alfred, told The Lebanon Voice today that Reed was arrested on a firearms related charge while on the access road to Skydive New England on Friday, Oct. 4.
He said local State Police secured the stop, but Portland Police inventoried the vehicle and made the arrest. Reed’s car was impounded.
Reed is now free on personal recognizance bail, the conditions of which prohibit any contact with firearms. His next court hearing is set for January.
It is legal to carry an unconcealed weapon in Maine without a permit or license.
The second amendment allows citizens to bear arms, while the fourth protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure.