Lawyer Says Man Who Brought Loaded Gun To Logan Made A 'Mistake'
BOSTON (CBS) – Police arrested a man at Logan Airport Wednesday morning after a loaded gun was found in his carry-on luggage.
The TSA said an officer discovered the .9mm pistol during screening at a security checkpoint at about 6:15 a.m.
The Massachusetts State Police immediately interviewed the 28-year-old passenger, who they identified as Kyle Maguire, of Bridgewater, and took the gun, according to the TSA.
Police then arrested the Maguire, who was headed to Kansas City on a Delta flight.
He was arraigned in the East Boston District Court and held on $5,000 cash bail, which he will like post.
Maguire's attorney argued in court that the man had brought the gun to Logan unintentionally.
Attorney Ron Wayland said Maguire works for Amazon and was traveling on business.
"He was rushing out to work this morning, he usually carries another bag but he couldn't find it. He, quickly, from storage, grabbed this backpack, went to the airport, went through TSA where they found the handgun," said Wayland. "He had no idea that it was there."
Wayland added that Maguire was "distraught" over the entire ordeal. He has no past criminal history.
"It was a mistake, accident, mistake, no intent," continued Wayland.
One passenger at Logan weighted in, "I think that's just a lousy excuse for not thinking about what you are doing when you are going to the airport to fly today."
Another said, "There are people that are absent minded, and or could care less. Obviously, he is one of the two."
State police said Maguire has a license to carry a firearm in Nevada, Utah, and Florida, but not Massachusetts."
A conviction of carrying a firearm without a license has a mandatory 18-month prison sentence.
The fine for bringing a firearm through security at an airport ranges from $1,500 to $7,000.
The TSA says it found 3,390 firearms at checkpoints nationwide last year.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports