Man who had loaded gun at Albany International Airport won’t be charged

A Warren County man won’t be charged after Transportation Security Administration officers found a loaded handgun in his belongings as he went through security Sunday at the Albany International Airport, authorities said.

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said the man, who was not identified, holds a valid gun permit and deputies determined there was no ill intent. He inadvertently left it in his belongings.

As his belongings went through the X-ray machine on a conveyer belt, a TSA officer spotted the handgun and ammunition, officials said.

The TSA determined the gun had two bullets in it, one of them in the chamber. TSA officers contacted the Albany County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies confiscated the gun and ammunition.

There was no impact on airport operations, officials said.

The gun is the first detected at the airport this year. In 2014, officers detected three guns at the checkpoint.

“This incident serves as a reminder that passengers are responsible for the contents of bags they bring to the security checkpoint, and TSA’s advice to passengers is to look through bags thoroughly before coming to the airport to make sure there are no illegal or prohibited items,” the TSA said in a news release.

Weapons, including firearms, are not permitted in carry-on bags. They can be transported in checked bags if they are unloaded, properly packed and declared to the airline.

Passengers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA.

No criminal charges are expected, according to Apple. It was unclear when a determination would be made on civil penalties, but a TSA spokeswoman said civil penalties can go up to $11,000. A typical first-offence citation is $3,000.

Categories: News, Schenectady County