A Middletown, Pa., man was cited by police yesterday (June 9) at Philadelphia International Airport after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers detected an antique revolver among the man’s carry-on items at one of the airport security checkpoints. The old revolver was sitting among some clothing and was not loaded.
When TSA officers detected the handgun, the man told officials that he received the antique pistol as a gift from his father.
“This individual learned a hard lesson about the proper way to transport a firearm for a flight,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “You just don’t toss a firearm into a carry-on bag along with your clothes, even if it is unloaded. Now, in addition to being charged with a criminal citation by the police, the man also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint.” The penalty for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.