Officials say the man from Newark, Delaware told officers he forgot that he had his loaded gun on him.
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According to the TSA, the gun was caught as the man was entering the security checkpoint at the airport.
The X-ray unit was alerted when checking the man's carry-on bag.
TSA officers opened the bag for a closer inspection and found the 9mm caliber gun was loaded with 17 bullets, including one in the chamber.
Officials say an additional 17 bullets were tucked into a carry-on bag next to the gun.
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The gun was removed and confiscated by airport police. They cited the man on weapons charges.
In addition to the citation, officials say the man faces a financial civil penalty. The penalty for carrying weapons recently increased to the maximum of $15,000.
The TSA says passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded and then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.