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Cody Wilson, 3D-Printed Gun Pioneer, Arrested In Taiwan (reason.com)

Cody Wilson, maker of the first 3D-printed plastic gun, has been arrested in Taiwan. Long-time Slashdot reader SonicSpike quotes Reason: Earlier this week, Texas police issued a warrant for his arrest. Wilson, they claimed, found a woman on sugardaddymeet.com, a website that requires all users to assert they are 18 or over, then met her and paid for sex with her. Police say the woman was actually 16, which made that act a violation of Texas penal code 22.011 (A)(2)(a), regarding sex with a minor, which is legally considered sexual assault regardless of consent or payment.

While Taiwan has no formal extradition treaty with the U.S., and Wilson was not said to have been doing anything directly criminal in Taiwan, the press there reports that he was arrested without incident because the U.S. had revoked his passport, making his mere presence in Taiwan illegal. (The U.S. government has the power to revoke the passports of people facing felony arrest warrants.) Wilson was then, according to The New York Times, "delivered...to the National Immigration Agency" in Taiwan. It is expected to deport him to the U.S. to face those charges, which carry a potential 2 to 20 years in prison and $10,000 fine.

A reporter for Ars Technica visited Wilson's home weapons printing company, and was told that "A management restructuring is coming." But they also contacted Adam Bhala Lough, who directed and wrote a documentary film about Wilson. Prior to Wilson's arrest, Lough argued that "Without Cody, it can't last. It's like Tesla and Elon Musk, you can't separate the two.

"If he comes home and faces the music, there is a chance Defense Distributed will survive because it is a totally independent company without a board or any regulatory body. And the buyers of these products -- not to generalize, but at least the ones I met while doing the documentary -- they won't care about buying a product from an [accused] pedophile. In fact they may be even more emboldened by the idea that Cody was 'set-up' or that it is a 'deep-state conspiracy' against him, even if (or when) he admits to it."

4 of 476 comments (clear)

  1. Does anyone really believe the government here? by SonicSpike · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This absolutely doesn't smell right. And governments have been known for "setting examples" and taking out vendettas against those who would challenge them.

    --
    Libertas in infinitum
    1. Re:Does anyone really believe the government here? by Noishkel · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well I don't disagree with what you're saying, but ultimately Cody did do something really stupid and put himself out there.

      I'm a pretty solid constitutional, so I do support his case. But Wilson's always had a somewhat well deserved reputation for having a real big ego. And in doing so he left himself open for this kind of attack, not to mention that he was on a rather scuzzy looking website to begin with. That was just flat out a damn stupid thing that he did.

  2. Yes by DogDude · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Yes, I believe the government in this case. This guy's a real prick, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit that he's a child fucker.

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    I don't respond to AC's.
  3. be woman by ArylAkamov · · Score: 4, Interesting

    >Lie about age when signing up to prostitution website
    >Lie about age to man to get money and sex
    >Willingly have sex
    >Willingly take money for that sex
    >Admit to doing all of this, WILLINGLY
    >Claim this was "assault"
    >People actually take your side

    THE ABSOLUTE STATE