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Austin 3D-printed gun company still selling blueprints; CEO resigns after sex assault charge

Cody Wilson, the Austin man behind the controversial 3D-printed gun company Defense Distributed, has been charged with felony sex assault involving a minor.

AUSTIN — Several days after Cody Wilson was released from police custody under sexual assault charges, his 3D-printed gun company, Defense Distributed, announced that they are continuing to sell 3D-printed gun blueprints despite his resignation.

At a press conference Tuesday, Paloma Heindorff, director of development and vice president of operations at Defense Distributed, said Wilson resigned on Friday and he will not have a role in the company moving forward.

“I am extremely proud to say that over the past few days, the entire team at Defense Distributed has recommitted to enabling the sharing and publication of CAD and 3D-printed files," she said. "This resilience I truly believe to not only be characteristic of our company as a whole, but also the idea we have worked so hardly to promote.”

Heindorff said the company has received 3,000 orders, about 1,500 of which she said have already been shipped. She said Defense Distributed has no intention of stopping shipments and Wilson's allegations and departure have had "little effect on morale."

Nonprofit Defense Distributed currently employs about 15 people in Austin and five remotely, Heindorff said. When asked how she would describe employees since Wilson's allegations arose, she said that they have remained "resilient" and "absolutely dedicated."

Houston attorneys for Defense Distributed, Jack Blackman and Chad Flores, were also in attendance. They said their goals also remain the same: to protect Defense Distributed's, and their customers', First and Second Amendment rights.

This came after Wilson was charged with felony sexual assault and arrested in Taiwan. Investigators with Austin police said he paid a 16-year-old girl for sex. KVUE first broke the news of his charge Sept. 19.

Wilson's attorney, Samy Khalil, released the following statement on his behalf:

We understand that there have been some changes at Defense Distributed. We expect that the company will continue to grow and do its work. In the meantime, we plan to focus on Cody’s defense.

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He was taken to the Harris County Jail where his bond was set at $150,000, which someone else reportedly posted. Wilson has agreed to personally hire an attorney.

The press conference was held on Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. at the Sterling Event Center in North Austin.

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