TSA: Woman Caught With Loaded Gun At Stewart Airport
A Dutchess County woman is accused of bringing a loaded gun in her carry-on bag at Stewart Airport.
A Lagrangeville woman was stopped by the Transportation Security Administration after a TSA officer spotted her with a .380 caliber handgun loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber, at the New York Stewart International Airport in Newburgh checkpoint on Friday, officials say.
TSA officers spotted the gun in the woman's carry-on items as it went through the checkpoint X-ray machine. New York State Police were contacted, responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the weapon and detained the woman for questioning.
The Dutchess County woman told officials that she forgot that she had her loaded gun with her, according to the TSA.
A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane, according to the TSA.
Passengers are allowed to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked and packed separately from ammunition.