ROANOKE, Va. – A Bedford County woman is facing a maximum fine of $15,000 after TSA officers stopped her from bringing a handgun onto a flight at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.
TSA officers found the loaded gun in the woman’s carry-on bag on Sunday, Feb. 12.
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Local police retrieved the gun and cited the woman on several weapon charges. Along with said charges, she could also be fined for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint.
According to the TSA, the penalty for carrying a loaded firearm ranges from $3,000 to $15,000.
“Our TSA team at Roanoke performs their jobs exceptionally well with a keen focus on our mission,” said Robin Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “I hope this serves as a reminder to others in the area to search their carry-on bags before leaving home to ensure that there are no prohibited or illegal items inside. Better yet, start with an empty bag when packing. Any time dangerous items such as loaded guns are brought to a security checkpoint, it represents a serious security and safety concern.”
Passengers are allowed to travel with firearms in a checked bag, but there are specific requirements that must be met, which can be found with this link.
Officials say there were 6,542 firearms caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent of those guns were loaded.