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Port Authority police arrested the Queens resident and seized the .45-caliber handgun, Transportation Security Administration Spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said.
He also was forced to surrender his airport security badge, which is required of everyone who works on the secure side of the airport, Farbstein said. Without it, he couldn't continue working at the retail shop, she said.
In addition to his arrest, the man faces a potential fine of up to $15,000 under federal law.
“This was a good catch,” said John Essig, the TSA’s federal security director at JFK.
The timing was particularly bad, he said -- it being the July 4th holiday period and all.
On Thursday alone, the TSA screened nearly 2.8 million travelers nationwide, Essig said.
"This is no time to be carrying prohibited or illegal items," he said. "It’s busy out there, and when someone brings a prohibited or illegal item such as a firearm to an airport security checkpoint, it slows things down for everyone else.”
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