Forgetful Assemblyman Busted At Airport For Packing Loaded Handgun In Carry-On Bag
Republican Assemblyman Tim Donnelly of Twin Peaks failed to pack his carry-on bag wisely Wednesday morning and was confronted by Ontario airport police.
Scheduled to board a Southwest Airlines flight to Sacramento, Donnelly was stopped at a security checkpoint, detained and cited for his illegal luggage. His bag contained a .45-caliber Colt Mark IV with four rounds in its magazine plus a spare magazine housing five additional rounds.
Cassandra Joiner, Donnelly's spokeswoman, told The Sacramento Bee, "When he was packing to leave, he had forgotten that it was in there. He didn't realize it when he put it through the metal detector."
The assemblyman will be charged with possession of a loaded firearm, which is a misdemeanor "punishable by a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine," according to Sgt. Belinda Nettles, spokeswoman for airport police. Donnelly's weapon was confiscated, and he will appear in court at a later date.
Nico Melendez, spokesman for the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA), explains that airline passengers are permitted to travel with firearms, but they must be unloaded and packed in checked baggage. Two strikes for you, Donnelly. Melendez also added that 1,200 similar incidents occurred in 2011.
