Vinton woman pleads not guilty to providing gun used in unintentional shooting girl, 14

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Vinton woman pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court after being indicted for giving a .22 caliber rifle to her 16-year-old son, which was unintentionally fired by his friend, resulting in the death a 14-year-old Vinton girl last year.

Robyn Merchant, 52, was formally charged Monday of one count of providing a firearm to a prohibited person in U.S. District Court. She is accused of purchasing a Walther HK MPS 22LR semi-automatic rifle for her son Dillon Winterroth, 16 at the time, the day before Emma Redlinger was fatally shot on Feb. 24, 2015.

Merchant, also known as Robyn Winterroth, admitted to investigators that she purchased the rifle because her son wanted it for target practice and hunting. She also told police she knew her son was using marijuana.

William Hines Jr., Winterroth and another teen were passing around the gun that day in Winterroth's bedroom and initially lied to police about what had happened, according to juvenile petitions previously filed. Winterroth initially took the blame and Hines went along with the lie because he was scared.

Hines eventually admitted to holding the gun when it discharged, hitting Emma in the head, but he denied pointing the gun at anyone or intentionally pulling the trigger, according to the petitions. Emma died four days later.

Winterroth, 17 now, pleaded guilty last week in juvenile court to possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, a felony; possession of drug paraphernalia; making false reports to public safety entities; interference with official acts; and harassment of public officers, all misdemeanors.

The 17-year-old will be placed at the Boys State Training School in Eldora until he completes the program. His dispositional hearing, to formally send him to the school, will be April 12 in Benton County Juvenile Court.

William Hines Jr., now 17, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, interference with official acts and harassment of public officers and employees, and will tried as an adult.

Vinton Police Capt. Eric Dickinson testified during a detention hearing for Merchant last month that marijuana was being sold out of the Merchant home, and juveniles told police they purchased marijuana from Winterroth and sometimes from his mother if he wasn't around.

Dickinson also testified that the Walther rifle wasn't a hunting-type gun. It's a .22 caliber rifle, outfitted to look like an assault weapon, he said.

U.S. Chief Magistrate Jon Scoles also set a hearing for Merchant on Friday. Prosecutors filed a petition to revoke Merchant's pretrial release but didn't provide details on the alleged violation.