MONCKS CORNER — A Berkeley County gun store owner pleaded guilty in the shooting death of his employee, an event he said was an accident.

Jon Whitley pleaded guilty Oct. 16 to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Stefan “Steve” Mrgan, 36, inside Coastal Firearms in Wando.

Ninth Circuit Judge Thomas Rode sentenced Whitley to five years of probation with 25 days in jail. Rode ordered Whitley to report to the county jail for five days every year of his probation starting on the anniversary of the day he killed Mrgan.

Rode also ordered Whitley to complete 200 hours of community service directed toward veterans.

Whitley’s case dragged on for four years after Whitley said he decide to pull a prank on Mrgan by placing a CO2 Glock airgun among similar pistols, picking it up and

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