“Rust” Armorer Pleads Guilty to Separate Gun Charge, Could Be Released Early
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the set of the film “Rust,” has pleaded guilty to a separate criminal charge of carrying a firearm into a licensed liquor establishment. This comes just months after she was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the “Rust” set, The Associated Press reports.
Gutierrez-Reed entered a guilty plea on Monday, accepting a plea deal that will see her serve 18 months of supervised probation. This sentence will run concurrently with her current 18-month prison term for the involuntary manslaughter charge, potentially allowing her release from prison as early as June 2025.
The new charge stemmed from an incident that occurred weeks before the “Rust” shooting in October 2021. Gutierrez-Reed was caught on video carrying a handgun into a Santa Fe bar, where firearms are prohibited. Prosecutors argued that this incident revealed a pattern of negligence and disregard for firearm safety protocols.
While the plea deal spares Gutierrez-Reed from a potential felony conviction, it comes with several conditions. She will be prohibited from possessing firearms or consuming alcohol or drugs while on probation. Additionally, she must submit a DNA sample to a criminal database, complete an addiction treatment program, and pay a $180 fee.
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, saaid that the agreement allows her to “complete probation in Arizona without getting an additional felony conviction on her record.”
The “Rust” case has been plagued by legal battles and controversy. Alec Baldwin, the film’s star and producer, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. However, in July, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the charges against Baldwin, citing prosecutorial misconduct. The prosecution has since appealed that decision.
