adam sandler's father-in-law lawyer is charged with smuggling a loaded gun into a florida courthouse in a briefcase
Adam Sandler's father-in-law was arrested in Florida after smuggling a loaded gun into the Broward courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale in his briefcase, but he has claims the entire incident was nothing more than an accident.
On Thursday, Broward County lawyer and former member of the Florida House of Representatives Joseph Titone, was taken into police custody after a courthouse security checkpoint alerted authorities to a Colt .38 Special revolver in Titone's briefcase, courthouse news and gossip site Justice Advocacy Association of Broward was the first to report.
The 75-year-old is the father to Jackie Sandler and father-in-law of comic actor Adam Sandler. The couple married back in 2003 and have two children together.
However, Titone insists the incident was the result of a harmless mistake, telling the outlet that the gun's presence was a result of botched plans to attend a nearby gun range.
Joseph Titone was taken into police custody on Thursday after a courthouse security checkpoint alerted authorities to a Colt .38 Special revolver in Titone's briefcase
Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani and Titone pictured together
Pictured: Jackie Sandler and Adam Sandler attend the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Jackie is Joseph Titone's daughter
'It was an accident,' Titone said. 'Evidently I put this gun in my briefcase at one point, intending to take it to the gun range, but that never happened.'
'I forgot it was there.'
Sandler's father-in-law's revolver was fully loaded with six bullets at the time of his arrest, with Titone claiming it had likely been in the briefcase since before the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020.
According to the police report, Titone was charged with the unlicensed carrying of a concealed firearm, which is a third-degree felony.
While he maintains he hasn't been officially charged as of yet, Titone believes the issue isn't going away anytime soon.
'I’ll probably have to go to court to explain it, and I will,' he said.
'This was an honest mistake.'
The decision to file a formal criminal case against him is now in the hands of the Broward State Attorney’s Office.
The 75-year-old was caught smuggling a loaded gun into the Broward courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale in his briefcase
Sandler married Titone's daughter back in 2003. They have two children together
This isn't the first brush with trouble for Titone, with the father-in-law to Adam Sandler having been sued for fraud in 2019 for allegedly defrauding an investor.
Titone was also disbarred from practicing law in 1992 for double charging a client, according to Miami Herald.
In that case, Titone ultimately pleaded guilty to perjury and unlawful compensation and was sentenced to a year suspended jail sentence along with four years' probation, the Sun Sentinal reports.
He was prohibited from practicing law for five years as a result of that case, and was eventually reinstated to the Florida Bar, where he had been a member since 1975.
Between 1982 and 1988, Titone served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives.
Sandler is best known for his time on 'Saturday Night Live' in the 1990s, as well as movies 'Happy Gilmore' and 'Billy Madison.'