RICHMOND, Va. — A Chesterfield County woman was cited on state weapons charges after she was caught with a loaded handgun at a Richmond International Airport (RIC) checkpoint on Friday, January 20.
The woman was stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers when they detected a .40 caliber handgun loaded with nine bullets, including one in the chamber of the gun.
TSA officers contacted the Richmond International Airport Police, which responded, confiscated the gun and cited the woman, whose name has not been released.
“This incident serves as a reminder that individuals are responsible for the belongings that they bring to a security checkpoint,” TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said in a statement.
For more information about how to correctly travel with firearms, visit the TSA website.
People who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA up to $12,000.
A typical TSA citation for a first offense is $3,000.