A Sandy Springs, Georgia man appeared in federal court today to face weapons charges after allegedly trying to get a firearm through security at Newark Liberty International Airport, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Desmond Herring, 48, is charged by complaint with carrying a weapon on an aircraft and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On November 29, Herring submitted a carry-on bag for inspection at Newark Liberty International Airport.
During the x-ray screening of Herring’s luggage, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent identified ammunition and a suspected firearm and contacted the Port Authority Police Department.
Upon seeing that his bag had attracted additional attention, Herring left the security checkpoint area without his bag and walked to a departure gate for his flight to Atlanta, Georgia.
Further investigation of Herring’s bag revealed that it contained a 9-millimeter pistol, 10 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition loaded into a magazine, and three boxes of ammunition that each contained 50 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition.
Herring was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2010 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.