July 28, 2011 TSA nabs two with guns at Atlanta Hartsfield airport www.privateofficer.com
ATLANTA GA July 28 2011 – TSA officers said they caught one person trying to get a gun through Hartsfield-Jackson airport security and then, 20 minutes, later caught another.
Atlanta police arrested Kimberly Farmer and Rolando Buigas on charges of carrying a weapon in an unauthorized place on Tuesday.
Farmer’s husband told Channel 2’s Tom Jones he received a phone call from his frantic wife from the Clayton County Jail.
“Said that ‘I’m in trouble. I’m in bad trouble,’” Stacy Farmer said.
Police said Farmer tried to take a .22 caliber Beretta that was in her luggage through the security checkpoint.
An X-ray machine discovered the weapon. Stacy Farmer said his wife, who has a concealed carry permit, didn’t know it was there.
“She had no idea this gun was in her bag. She had totally forgot about it,” he said.
Farmer appeared in court on the same day as Buigas.
Magistrate Judge Beatriz Scott read the accusations against him.
“You did bring a weapon a Glock .40 caliber in the checkpoint south of the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport,” she said. She set bond for each at $5,000.
Finding guns at checkpoints is becoming more common in Atlanta.
TSA officials said out of the 450 airports across the country, officers find two handguns at checkpoints on average each day.
Spokesman Jon Allen says Atlanta is a different story.
“Here in Atlanta, just over the last two months alone there have been 15 that were identified. This is the second time within two months that there was a discovery of more than one in a day,” Allen said.
Allen said that may be because Atlanta is so busy and because of summer travel. He’s urging everyone to check their bags before coming to the airport.
“If you bring it to the airport, we’re going to find it,” he said.
Farmer said his wife carries the gun for protection as she does business in Atlanta and has to visit dangerous areas.
“She carries it in a side pocket in her purse so she can access it in a worst-case scenario,” he said.
Farmer said his wife has never been in trouble and is a law-abiding citizen. He says this incident has shaken her. “Scariest thing she’s ever been through in her life,” he said.
The TSA said, “You can not only face criminal charges, miss your flight and have your weapon confiscated for bringing a gun to the airport, but you can also face a civil fine up to $10,000.”
Source:wsbtv.com
Tags: Kimberly Farmer and Rolando Buigas, TSA nabs two with guns at Atlanta Hartsfield airport
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