Garden State: Reston's Homegrown Gunman Appears in Court, Gets Lawyered Up

Lloyd Woodson, the former Reston resident who showed up in New Jersey with a cache of weapons, appeared in federal court today.

The Virginia man who allegedly had an arsenal of weapons and a map of a U.S. Army base stashed in motel room when he was arrested earlier this week appeared today in federal court, where authorities charged him with being a convicted felon in possession of weapons.

Lloyd Woodson, 43, whose last known address was Reston, Va., was arrested Monday in Branchburg, where several items, including two semi-automatic rifles, were confiscated.

Though authorities have not indicated how much of a threat they believe Woodson posed, the FBI has said he does not appear to have any links to terrorism. Woodson does, however, have a criminal record; he was convicted in 1997 of criminal possession of a weapon in New York, according to court papers.

Wearing a denim jacket over his olive-green prison garb and his hands cuffed in front of him, Woodson appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark.

Arleo asked Woodson if he wanted her to appoint an attorney, to which he replied, "Yes, ma’am." K. Anthony Thomas, a federal public defender, was already at Woodson’s side and was appointed to represent him.

Thomas waived a detention hearing, meaning Woodson will remain in custody. The federal charge carries a potential sentence of 10 years in prison, with a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan argued Woodson should remain in custody as his case moves through the court.

Woodson, he argued, is a flight risk, posed a risk to others and said he intended to use the rifles he was carrying to commit a violent crime.
It was the second court appearance this week for Woodson, who deserted the Navy in 1989 and was on the run for eight years.

He appeared in Superior Court in Somerville Tuesday. The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office has accused him of multiple offenses, including unlawful weapons possession and possession of defaced firearms. Bail was set at $75,000.

"Yes ma'am." Woodson may have some problems, the prospect of jail time among them, but at least he's polite.