Man tried to board flight with AR-15, fake US Marshal badge, Taser among other weapons, feds say

Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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A New Jersey man has been charged after federal officials say he snuck three guns, including an AR-15, on a commercial airplane heading to Florida.

Seretse Clouden was arrested on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and having a fraudulent ID, according to a criminal complaint made public on Monday.

Agents with the Transportation Security Administration found gun magazines, ammunition and a ballistic vest carrier inside a bag belonging to Clouden during a routine screening of checked luggage at Newark Liberty International Airport on Dec. 30, according to the complaint, written by FBI task force officer Christopher Granato.

Agents then went to Clouden's gate, where he was set to take off on a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

A television displays a "no guns" sign at the Transportation Security Administration security area at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Atlanta. Last year saw a record number of guns intercepted at airport checkpoints across the country.
A television displays a "no guns" sign at the Transportation Security Administration security area at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Atlanta. Last year saw a record number of guns intercepted at airport checkpoints across the country.

Once there, they interviewed Clouden and retrieved his other baggage from the plane. That's when agents found the following:

  • A 5.56-caliber AR-15 rifle

  • A .308-caliber rifle

  • A .40-caliber Glock 22

  • A spring-loaded knife

  • A Taser

  • A fraudulent U.S. Marshal badge with Clouden's name and photo

  • An expandable baton

It's unclear whether the luggage that contained the weapons had been checked or if the weapons were in Clouden's carry-ons.

No phone number is listed for Clouden and it's unclear whether he has an attorney.

Clouden was convicted in 2016 of unlawful possession of a weapon.

Record number of guns

Last year, the TSA seized a record number of guns at airports across the U.S., finding more than 6,500 firearms in luggage.

The numbers have been steadily climbing almost every year leading up to last year's record.

Travelers stand in line for a TSA checkpoint at the Miami International Airport on December 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
Travelers stand in line for a TSA checkpoint at the Miami International Airport on December 19, 2022 in Miami, Florida.

“What we see in our checkpoints really reflects what we’re seeing in society, and in society there are more people carrying firearms nowadays,” TSA administrator David Pekoske told The Associated Press.

The five U.S. airports with the most firearm discoveries last year, according to the TSA, are:

  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: 448 discoveries

  • Dallas Fort Worth International Airport: 385 discoveries

  • Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport: 298 discoveries

  • Nashville International Airport: 213 discoveries

  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: 196 discoveries

What are the rules for firearms on planes?

Guns are allowed in commercial airplanes as long as they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and placed in checked baggage, according to the TSA.

During check-in, passengers are required to declare any guns and ammunition at the airline ticket counter.

Violators may face criminal citations or charges, and the TSA can levy civil penalties.

Responding to the record number of guns found at airports, the TSA increased civil penalties last year, raising the maximum fine to about $15,000, up from the previous maximum of just under $14,000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Jersey man charged after AR-15, other guns found on airplane