New Jersey man attempted to board plane with handguns, AR-15, Taser, fake US Marshal badge

A New Jersey man tried to board a flight with an AR-15 rifle, handguns, a Taser and a faux U.S. Marshal’s badge, in keeping with a federal criticism.

Seretse Clouden, a felon, tried to board the flight at Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport on Dec. 30. He was charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and fraudulent possession of an identification doc and authentication characteristic of the U.S.

“Throughout routine screening of checked baggage that was destined for Fort Lauderdale, Transportation Safety Administration brokers found two .40 caliber Glock magazines, every containing fifteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition,” the criticism learn. “An extra search of that baggage revealed a ballistic vest provider that displayed the phrases ‘Deputy Marshal.’”

In response to the criticism, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed that Clouden had by no means been employed by the company.

Brokers responded to the gate Clouden’s flight was scheduled to depart from after studying of what was in his baggage. He advised officers he didn’t have legislation enforcement credentials or firearms ID playing cards.

His baggage was faraway from the plane and officers found in his baggage an AR-15 rifle, a .40 caliber handgun, a Taser, a spring-loaded knife, an expandable baton and a .308 caliber rifle. 

Officers additionally discovered “United States Marshal” credentials along with his title and movie displayed on them and a badge.

In 2016, Clouden pleaded responsible to illegal possession of a weapon.

The illegal possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon cost carries a most sentence of 10 years and a positive of as much as $250,000, and the cost for fraudulent possession of an identification doc can carry a most sentence of 15 years, a positive or each.

Greater than 800 firearms have been intercepted at airport checkpoints to date this 12 months.

“It’s completely not acceptable for firearms to be wherever close to checkpoints,” TSA spokesperson R. Carter Langston stated in an announcement. “There’s a legally permissible option to convey firearms in checked baggage, however you must be legally in a position to carry a firearm in your jurisdiction, declare it with the airline and pack it correctly in a hard-sided and locked case.”

The TSA set a file in 2022 by intercepting greater than 6,500 firearms at airport checkpoints within the U.S. The firearms have been found in 262 airports, with 88% of them being loaded.