Aug. 04--REPORTING FROM WASHINGTON -- A Marine working in the office of Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) was arrested Tuesday near the Capitol after authorities discovered he was in possession of a loaded handgun.
Gunner Sgt. Peter Boby, an active-duty Marine working as a fellow in an advisory role in Hunter's office, was found with a .45-caliber handgun. He was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, carrying an unregistered firearm and carrying unregistered ammunition, according to Capitol Police.
In a statement, Hunter praised Boby's work and said the incident was probably an accident.
"Peter has been a top-notch performer," Hunter said. "He's a hero who's seen combat, who's been wounded and who's been in good standing with the Marine Corps throughout. We are still getting the facts, but this was most likely an accident. There's no reason to suggest it was intentional."
Capitol Police spokeswoman Lt. Kimberly Schneider said in a statement that Boby was being processed at police headquarters.
A representative of Hunter's office said the Marine Corps will ultimately decide whether Boby, who he said had done tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, serves out the remainder of his one-year fellowship, which he began in January.
colin.diersing@latimes.com
