Dallas Convicted Felon Kept Loaded 9Mm in Unlocked Stool Beside Bed 3 Year Old Dead
CONFLICT signal, reported in US, from wbap.com, with negative sentiment. Locations: Dallas, Texas, United States, Dallas County.
What Happened
A Dallas father, Jerald Ray Joseph Aplon, 21, faces a federal firearm charge after his 3-year-old child died from a gunshot wound at an apartment where investigators say he kept a loaded pistol in an unlocked stool beside his bed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced Friday that Aplon, who was arrested November 9, is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The incident occurred on October 11 at a residence on Wadsworth Drive in South Oak Cliff. Aplon told investigators he owned a Canik 9mm semiautomatic pistol and an AR-style rifle, both kept loaded and unsecured. Dallas police recovered the pistol from the bedroom stool during a search warrant execution, where a spent 9mm casing jammed the firearm’s slide. The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the child sustained a close-contact gunshot wound, and prosecutors allege Aplon’s unsecured pistol caused the injury. The case does not identify who fired the pistol, and prosecutors are pursuing a firearm-possession charge rather than a homicide charge. Aplon also faces state charges for criminal trespass, marijuana possession, and making a firearm accessible to a child leading to death.
Why it matters
Aplon’s federal firearm charge stems from a prior felony theft conviction in September 2023, which prohibited him from possessing firearms. The case highlights the risks of unsecured firearms in homes with young children, as Aplon’s actions led to a fatal incident. He remains in Dallas County jail, facing up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted on the federal charge, while also being prosecuted for state offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that leaving loaded firearms within reach of children is 'unconscionable,' underscoring the need for stricter firearm safety measures in households.
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