Guard Dajuan Wagner and his mother were once at risk of being kidnapped, a defense lawyer told a federal jury.

The statement came during the drug trial of Wagner's stepfather, Leonard "Pooh" Paulk.

Prosecutors are trying to build a case that Paulk bought 20 semiautomatic weapons in 2002 as part of his involvement in a drug conspiracy.

His lawyer said Paulk bought the guns to "arm his family" and protect Wagner, whose mother is married to Paulk.

Wagner sat with family and friends in the rear of the courtroom watching the opening statements of the trial against his stepfather and three other men.

14 total people were arrested in March of 2003 and charged with running one of Camden's largest drug-selling operations.

The other 10 defendants have pleaded guilty, and the alleged leader of the group will testify against the defendants as the star witness at trial.