Transportation Security Administration officers found this 9mm gun, loaded with six bullets, in the carry-on bag of a Chenango County man at Syracuse Hancock International Airport on Monday, May 2, 2022. (TSA)

Syracuse, N.Y. — U.S. Transportation Security Administration officers found a loaded handgun in a Central New York man’s carry-on bag Monday morning at Syracuse Hancock International Airport, security officials said.

TSA officers spotted the 9mm handgun on an X-ray machine’s monitor as the man’s carry-on bag was being screened at the airport’s security checkpoint, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.

The gun was loaded with six bullets, she said.

Security officers alerted Syracuse police, who investigated but decided not to charge the man.

The Chenango County man, whose name was not released by the TSA or police, told officials he put the gun in his bag when he went hiking and forgot that he had the gun with him, Farbstein said in a news release.

The Sherburne man had a valid pistol license so he was not charged, Syracuse police spokesman Lt. Matthew Malinowski said.

“It was case of forgetting the gun was in his bag,” Malinowski said.

Less than two weeks ago, Syracuse police arrested a West Virginia man after TSA officers found a .380-caliber handgun, loaded with seven bullets, in his carry-on bag at Syracuse’s airport. That man also claimed to have forgotten he put the gun in his bag.

TSA officers found three guns at the Syracuse airport in 2017; two guns in 2018; five guns in 2019; and four guns in 2020, 2021 and again so far this year, records show.

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 5,972 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year. About 86% were loaded, according to TSA.

“When packing for a flight, whether you are packing your carry-on or checked bag, it’s best to start with an empty bag to eliminate the possibility that you have a prohibited or illegal item inside that bag,” said Bart R. Johnson, TSA Federal Security Director for Upstate New York. “This morning’s gun catch was the result of good work on the part of our TSA officers and a careless mistake on the part of the traveler. If you own a firearm, you need to know where it is at all times.”

Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. Among the factors TSA considers when determining the civil penalty amount include whether the firearm was loaded and whether there was accessible ammunition.

Civil penalties apply to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane, the TSA said.

In addition to the fines, anyone who violate rules regarding traveling with guns can have Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck expedited screening benefits revoked.

Guns can only be transported in checked baggage in the belly of a plane, never in the cabin. They must be unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. Travelers must go to the airline ticket counter during the check-in process to declare a firearm, ammunition and any firearm parts.

Replica firearms also are prohibited in carry-on baggage and must also be transported in checked luggage.

TSA recommends travelers check with their airline prior to their flight to ensure they comply with any airline-specific requirements for transporting firearms.

Have a tip or a story idea? Contact Catie O’Toole: cotoole@syracuse.com | text/call 315-470-2134 | Twitter | Facebook

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