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Tampa, Florida – Lakeland Man Sentenced to 3 Years and 6 Months in Prison for Violating Airport Security Requirements
Abraham Othman Yacoub, a 26-year-old man from Lakeland, was sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison for violating airport security requirements and attempted possession of a dangerous weapon on an aircraft. This sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber on April 10, 2024, after Yacoub entered a guilty plea for the offenses.
On August 4, 2023, Yacoub arrived at Tampa International Airport to board a flight to Las Vegas, Nevada. During the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening process, TSA agents electronically screened Yacoub’s items with an x-ray machine and observed a firearm inside of Yacoub’s bag. Despite the clear signs posted at the entry of every airport security line stating that no firearms are allowed inside the passenger terminal and sterile areas of the airport, Yacoub attempted to hide the firearm in a trashcan in the men’s restroom.
Yacoub removed the firearm from his backpack, wrapped it in toilet paper, and hid it in a trashcan in the men’s restroom. He then lied to the TSA agents and told them that he had not brought a firearm into the airport. The airport terminal had to be evacuated of passengers, and numerous flights were delayed due to the incident.
Yacoub agreed to forfeit the Glock 19 and assorted ammunition, seized on August 4, 2023, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. This is Yacoub’s second time bringing a firearm into a Florida airport. In late 2020, Yacoub brought a firearm into the TSA secured area of an airport in Miami-Dade County. He pleaded guilty on August 19, 2021, to carrying a concealed firearm for that offense.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Tampa International Airport Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Yacoub’s actions put the safety of thousands of passengers at risk. Airport security is in place to protect the public, and violating these requirements can have serious consequences.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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