A man on his way home to Fort Wayne was arrested after authorities say security personnel at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport found a gun in his bag.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office reported that 57-year-old Michael Shelton of Hickory Tree Road was on his way to board a plane to Fort Wayne shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday when screeners spotted the gun on an X-ray image of his bag.
Transportation Security Administration searched the bag and reported finding a 9 mm Smith & Wesson pistol.
Sheriff’s deputies said Shelton was “extremely cooperative and apologetic,” and told deputies he had forgotten the gun was in his brown leather duffel bag.
Shelton was charged with carrying a concealed firearm. He was later released on $5,000 bail.
Jail records didn’t say whether Shelton had an attorney.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.