An Elkhart man has been sentenced on a gun charge after being found with a weapon on school property.

Destry Allen Jr. was charged with possession of a firearm on school property after reportedly having a weapon on him last August while dropping his niece off at Northside Middle School.

The Goshen News says a school security officer told Allen to leave, but Allen did not know he couldn’t be on school property with the firearm, which he said had a lock on it and that he did not have the key with him.

Allen told the court that he told the security guard that he would leave as soon as the bell rang due to wanting to make sure his niece started the first day of school off right after being known to skip school. He was sentenced to one year at the IDOC suspended on probation.