Chumlee Arrest Update: Corey Harrison’s Post About Gun Laws Likely Irrelevant

It has been three weeks since Chumlee of Pawn Stars fame was arrested on drug and weapons charges. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the reality star has not released any kind of public statement following his arrest. He is due in court on May 23 to face 20 felony charges related to drugs and weapons after police found a plethora of illegal drugs and guns inside his home.

Chumlee, of ‘Pawn Stars’ fame, had 12 handguns and vault with narcotics https://t.co/j5xlQlhJa5 pic.twitter.com/qmfU12uHhA

— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) March 15, 2016

Police obtained a search warrant to enter Chumlee’s Las Vegas-area pad after a woman, identified by some media outlets as an employee at Rick Harrison’s Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, claimed that Chumlee (real name Austin Lee Russell) sexually assaulted her. While police were inside Chumlee’s home, they found a lot more than they had bargained for.

“Police said 12 guns were seized, ranging from handguns to a shotgun and assault-style MP5 and.223-caliber rifles. Four of the handguns were registered to Russell, the report said. Most of the weapons were found in a bedroom vault safe, along with 17 multi-dose ‘bars’ of the anxiety drug Xanax and seven capsules containing small amounts of methamphetamine, police said. One loaded.45-caliber handgun was found in a master bedroom nightstand drawer,” according to the Associated Press.

Shortly after Chumlee’s arrest, his Pawn Stars co-star, Corey Harrison, posted the following two things on Instagram, perhaps as a way to try to defend his pal.

Since a reported eight of the 12 guns found inside the home were not registered, many people immediately assumed that Russell was charged in conjunction with owning illegal guns. If that was the case and Corey’s post is legitimate, it would mean that Chumlee’s gun charges wouldn’t actually stand. The truth of the matter, however, is that Chumlee was charged with “being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm,” according to CNN. This means that for one reason or another, Chumlee is prohibited by law from owning a gun of any kind — registered or not.

There are several reasons why a person would be prohibited from owning a gun, but only a couple could apply to Chumlee. Either he has previously been convicted of a felony or he is an unlawful user of, or addicted to, any controlled substance as described by the Nevada criminal code.

Given that information, and lack thereof when it comes to prior convictions or substance abuse issues, it might mean that the methamphetamine and other drugs found in Chumlee’s home could have been the factor that disqualified him from gun ownership.

As far as the sexual assault claims go, Chumlee has not been charged. Authorities say that they are still investigating the woman’s claim against Chumlee. If they are able to find any evidence that supports her story, Chumlee could face additional charges. Police did collect evidence from his house to check, but no additional information has been made public at this time.

Chumlee has hired two attorneys to represent him in his upcoming court case. As far as consequences go, it is presumed that he could be spending time in jail if he’s convicted on any of these charges. As far as his fate on Pawn Stars goes, it may hinge on the outcome of his trial. If Chumlee is convicted, he likely won’t be on Pawn Stars anymore, either prohibited by The History Channel or fired by Rick Harrison. It’s all a game of “wait and see” at this point, as few additional details about the case have been released.

Chumlee has been on Pawn Stars since its inception 12 seasons ago.

[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]