A Tampa, Florida, man has been arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon for allegedly trying to board a plane with a knife on his person.
Carrying a concealed weapon is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of 1 year in county jail.
In Florida, you need a concealed carry permit in order to carry a firearm, knife, or any other weapon (besides pepper spray) in a concealed fashion. Concealed, under Florida law, means out of the ordinary sight of a person.
Airports are not good places to carry weapons in a concealed fashion as you must declare all weapons prior to boarding. Even with a permit, you cannot carry a concealed weapon onto an airplane.
While only a misdemeanor, prosecutors and police will no doubt treat this incident as serious due to the fact that it occurred at an airport.
The State of Florida must also prove knowledge, that is they must prove that the accused knew of the concealed weapon. It is not a crime if the accused had forgotten that he had it in his pocket.
Eric Matheny is a criminal defense attorney serving Miami-Dade and Broward. Call today to discuss your case.