CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – An Augusta County man was caught with a gun at the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport on Sunday, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA officers detected a handgun in the man's carry-on bag as he was entering the security checkpoint. The .40 caliber gun was loaded with 13 bullets, including one in the chamber.
Police confiscated the gun from the man, who is a Stuarts Draft resident. They have not released his name.
This was the fourth firearm caught at the Charlottesville Albermarle Airport this year.
Firearms, firearm parts and ammunition are not permitted in carry-on bags, but can be transported in checked bags if they are unloaded, properly packed and declared to the airline.
Travelers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $12,000.