SALEM

— A Florida man who was attending a child custody hearing here faces weapons charges after a gun was found packed in a saddlebag on his motorcycle which was parked not far from the courthouse door, authorities said.

Tommy J. Fry, 43, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., has been charged with possession of a handgun for an unlawful purposes, an official from the Salem County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday.

Authorities said Fry was in the courthouse on Market Street attending a child custody hearing Friday afternoon.

During the hearing, a person there told a member of the Sheriff’s Office that Fry might have a gun stored on his motorcycle.

Sgt. Robert Gant confronted Fry inside the courthouse with the information about 2:30 p.m. and obtained a consent to search Fry’s 2000 Honda Valkrie motorcycle which was parked on Market Street about 100 feet north of the courthouse, authorities said.

Inside a locked saddlebag on the motorcycle officials found a Taurus revolver capable of firing .410 gauge shotgun slugs or .45 caliber pistol ammunition, according to officials. In another part of the saddlebag authorities found a small quantity of .410 gauge shotgun slugs.

The gun was not loaded at the time it was found.

Fry was released on his own recognizance pending a court hearing.

Fry had apparently traveled from Florida to the county on the motorcycle which is registered to him in Florida, to be here for the hearing, according to authorities.

Also, Judge Timothy Farrell issued a “no contact order,” instructing Fry to have no contact with the woman involved in the custody hearing, officials said.

Officers from the Salem County Sheriff’s Office are assigned to protect the courthouse.