A 46-year-old Ohio man is behind bars after Transportation Security Administration agents discovered an unloaded handgun and three loaded magazines tucked inside his carry-on bag at Pittsburgh International Airport. Philip Ralph Wilson was passing through the checkpoint Saturday afternoon when the find triggered his arrest on a weapons charge.
Wilson was moving through TSA screening when agents spotted the firearm along with the loaded magazines in his bag, according to WTAE. Allegheny County police said Wilson, who is from Ohio, did not have a valid license to carry a concealed firearm. He was charged with carrying a firearm without a license and is being held at Allegheny County Jail, the station reported.
Under Pennsylvania law, carrying a firearm without a valid license can be classified as a third-degree felony, though the statute also allows for a lesser first-degree misdemeanor charge in certain cases involving a person who would otherwise be eligible for a license and has no other criminal violation, according to 18 Pa.C.S. § 6106. The statute also includes an exception for people lawfully transporting firearms across state lines under federal law, though it is not clear from available information which classification or exception, if any, applies in Wilson’s case.
Loaded Magazines Are a Separate Red Flag for TSA
Beyond the handgun itself, the three loaded magazines in Wilson’s bag point to a broader screening rule. Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts, and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage and are only permitted in checked bags, per the Transportation Security Administration…