Montco Man Tried To Bring Loaded Handgun Onto Flight: TSA

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — A Montgomery County man tried to bring a loaded handgun onto a flight at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport Thursday, federal authorities said Friday.

The man, who was not identified by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), is a resident of Evansburg in Lower Providence Township.

Would-be passengers trying to carry weapons onto planes is not an uncommon phenomenon. In fact, a record number of 42 guns were confiscated by TSA at Philadelphia International Airport in 2022.

RELATED: Record Number Of Guns Seized At U.S. Airports, Including Philadelphia

The Montgomery County man's firearm, a .38 caliber revolver, was loaded. He faces a $15,000 fine just for bringing the weapon to the TSA checkpoint.

“Our officers are well-trained and vigilant," John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for JFK, said in a statement. "Hopefully this arrest will be a strong reminder to others not to bring their guns to our checkpoints here at JFK or at any airport."

Essig did not say if local man acted intentionally, but did note that "traveling with a loaded gun that you don’t even know you are carrying is a public safety concern."

Firearms can be placed in checked baggage, but they must be unloaded and put in a hard-sided locked case, officials said.

Though facing a steep fine, the Montgomery County man was not charged with a crime.