Man arrested after allegedly bringing a gun into Blackfoot courtroom
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BLACKFOOT – A man was arrested Wednesday after Bingham County Sheriff’s deputies discovered he smuggled a gun into a courtroom.
Ryan Vandyke, 51, was charged with misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon in a courthouse, jail or school.
On Wednesday, Blackfoot police officers say Vandyke entered the Bingham County Courthouse and went through security.
Later, deputies identified a handgun in his bag through the X-ray scanning machine, but by that point, Vandyke had already retrieved the bag and gone upstairs into the courthouse.
Deputies radioed the Bingham County Jail Command, and Vandyke was eventually found sitting in a courtroom on the back bench.
According to the police report, Vandyke was on his cell phone checking his blood sugar levels.
Deputies found a hammerless Smith and Wesson 38 caliber revolver gun in Vandykes bag. According to court documents, the gun was loaded with “five live hollow tip bullets.”
Vandyke was then taken into custody and searched, where officers only found a cellphone on his person.
While being interviewed, Vandyke said he was having a medical emergency and requested to speak to his attorney before answering any questions.
He was then released to the jail staff with instructions to have him evaluated by the jail medical staff.
He appeared on Thursday for an arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty and was given a bond of $5,000. He is expected to appear for a jury trial on the misdemeanor on July 21.
Vandyke is also charged in a separate case for felony first degree stalking. Because of the new misdemeanor charge, his bond was increased in that case from $3,000 to $500,000.
He is expected to appear for a jury trial in the stalking case on June 7.
Though Vandyke has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If convicted, he could face up to 6 months in jail and $1,000 in fines.