Press secretary to House Representative Tom Marino was arrested Friday for trying to enter the Capitol with a gun. According to Capitol Police, Ryan Shucard was arrested around 9:15 a.m. as he attempted to walk in the Cannon House Office building.

He was carrying a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun along with ammunition, found during a routine search required to enter the building. The gun was not loaded, police said. Shucard was taken into custody for carrying a firearm without a license, a felony charge that can have a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Marino's offices are located at 410 Cannon Office Building. The Representative, a Republican elected in 2010, was home in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, when Shucard was arrested. Marino was unavailable for comment.

Marino's chief of staff, Bill Tighe, said Shucard was hired to this post only two months ago, beginning on May 27. Tighe said Shucard was immediately placed on unpaid leave following the arrest and told him he made a "terrible mistake." According to Bill Tighe, Capitol Police told him they do not think Shucard intended to harm anyone with the gun.

"He's a firearms owner in Virginia," Tighe said. "He forgot that he had [the gun] with him."

Marino is supportive of the right to bear arms, and Tighe said he was "deeply disappointed." He did not know if Marino planned to fire Shucard.

"This shows a lack of judgment and a real disregard and knowledge of firearm laws," Tighe said. "It's irresponsible."

Shucard is a native to Littleton, Colorado, and a 2006 graduate of Columbine High School. He earned degrees in political science and journalism from the University of Northern Colorado. He had worked for 18 months with Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an Independent from Connecticut, and spent seven months with DDC Advocacy before joining Marino's staff.