Congressional staffer Ryan Shucard was arrested Friday morning after carrying a handgun into a Capitol office building.

Ryan, the press secretary for Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA), was charged with the felony of carrying a pistol without a license. Shucard had a 9mm handgun and magazine when he arrived around 9:15 a.m. for work at the Cannon House Office building.

The weapon was found during a search required for entry to the building, police said. Anyone entering Cannon Office Building must step through metal detectors and place their bags through an X-ray machine.

Shucard was immediately placed on unpaid leave by Marino’s office. Capitol Police charged him with carrying a pistol without a license, a felony that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Capitol Police said they do not believe Shucard brought the gun to work with him to harm anyone.

The office of House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving confirmed the arrest, and a brief closure at Cannon’s entrance.

“Carrying weapons into the District of Columbia is a very serious offense,” said an SAA official adding that there is no discretion for Capitol Hill employees and individuals should be aware of what is in their belonging.

They declined to elaborate further on the incident or the charge.

Shucard came to Marino after 9 months as media relations manager for the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries.

A native of Littleton, Colorado, he is a 2006 graduate of Columbine High School and earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and government and journalism in 2011 from the University of Northern Colorado. He worked for almost 18 months as aide to U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, then seven months at DDC Advocacy in a Maryland suburb of Washington before joining Marino’s office.

In March 2007, an aide to U.S. Sen. James Webb of Virginia was arrested for trying to bring a loaded gun into the Russell Senate Office Building.