TAMPA, Fla. — A man who brought a loaded gun into the Tampa International Airport pleaded guilty for the incident that happened in August.
Just before 8 p.m. on Aug. 4, Abraham Othman Yacoub, 26, arrived at the airport to board a flight to Las Vegas. When TSA electronically screened Yacoub’s items, an employee spotted a gun, a Glock, in his bag, according to court records.
While TSA agents were trying to locate the bag with the gun inside, Yacoub took his bag, went to the bathroom, wrapped the gun in toilet paper and put it in a trash can. After he got back from the bathroom, he lied to TSA agents and said he did not bring the gun into the airport.
During the incident, passengers were evacuated, delaying numerous flights. Airport police officers searched the bathroom that Yacoub entered and found the gun with fourteen 9mm rounds of ammunition inside a magazine and inside the gun, according to a news release by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
He was arrested and indicted on two felony charges. He was charged with one count of violating airport security requirements and one count of attempted possession of a dangerous weapon on an aircraft.
Yacoub pleaded guilty on Wednesday to both counts and agreed to forfeit the gun and the ammunition. His sentencing date has not been set yet, but he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count, according to the release.
In 2023, Tampa International made the top 10 list for passengers bringing firearms to security checkpoints. Ranked at number eight, the airport confiscated 144 guns, according to a news release by TSA.
Orlando International Airport had 164 firearms intercepted and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport had 135.
TSA officers in Florida have intercepted 50 firearms in 2024 as of the end of January.
Regardless of whether the individual is arrested or cited by law enforcement partners, passengers face a civil penalty imposed by the TSA that can reach nearly $15,000, the release said.
In 2023, DeSantis signed a law allowing people in Florida to carry a concealed firearm by just having a valid ID. No additional permitting or training would be required to lawfully have a firearm in someone’s possession.
Tampa International TSA Federal Security Director said in September that they have seen a 76% increase in guns caught at checkpoints.
National firearm discoveries have increased each year since 2014, except for 2020 when they were significantly lower during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to TSA. The total in Flordia dropped by 3% from 2022.
If a person wants to bring their gun on the plane, it needs to be in a checked bag. All firearms have to be unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided case that is declared to the airline at check-in.
