Ohio Felon Caught With 3 Firearms in Checked Luggage

A Youngstown, Ohio, resident has been accused of trying to fly with three firearms hidden in his checked luggage, the DOJ announced. Luis Rojas Cay, 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and carrying a weapon on an aircraft.

According to the indictment, on April 26, 2024, Rojas Cay planned to travel from the Pittsburgh International Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on a commercial airline. His luggage contained a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, an unloaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, an unloaded 40 SW caliber semiautomatic handgun, and approximately 204 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

The firearms were concealed in packages wrapped in multiple layers of foil-backed tape and placed inside a metal briefcase that was also lined with sheet metal. The briefcase was found inside a suitcase that Rojas Cay checked with the airline.

Rojas Cay, a convicted felon, is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. “Luis Rojas Cay allegedly tried to travel on a commercial airline with multiple firearms—one of which was loaded—hidden in his luggage,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan. “As a convicted felon, Rojas Cay should not be in possession of firearms anywhere, let alone in his bag at 35,000 feet.”

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the indictment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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