The father of one of the young boys who was shot and killed in December, while attending Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., during a massacre which took 26 lives after a gunman open fired on a classroom of first graders and six school staffers, is facing some criminal charges on Wednesday for alleged crimes that took place in 2011.
Neil Heslin, father of deceased victim Jesse Lewis, has been among Newtown parents who have been highly vocal and openly lobbied for further gun legislation in Washington.
Heslin is part of an iconic photo in which he is holding a portrait of his son as an infant, during a congressional hearing in February. When Heslin spoke in front of Congress, he was seen wiping away tears during a heartbreaking recount of the struggles he’s gone through since his son was savagely murdered.
Heslin’s alleged crimes appear to stem from his struggling construction business and financial issues.
According to the CT Post, Heslin has gotten himself into legal trouble after he allegedly wrote bad checks, the largest being in the amount of $2,424.00 for building material for his business. The case includes several misdemeanor charges and one class D felony, if convicted. Heslin also has several vehicle violations which include driving with a suspended license, driving without a license plate, and failing to provide registration or insurance documents after he was stopped by police in July.
Among Heslin’s legal woes, he also reportedly failed to appear before a court scheduled hearing on April 15, drawing criticism from the presiding Judge. It is believed that Heslin was in Washington that day, advocating again for stricter gun laws.
Heslin has declined to comment on the case, referring media sources to his lawyers.