by KYW's Tony Hanson
An Arizona man has pleaded guilty to sneaking a handgun onto a jet at Philadelphia International Airport with the help of his roommate, a US Airways employee.
Authorities say defendant Damien Young was moving to Arizona and wanted to take his legally registered 9mm semi-automatic handgun with him. So, according to federal prosecutor Stephen Miller, he had US Airways customer service representative Roshid Milledge smuggle the gun in a bag through an employees' entrance, circumventing security:
"Mr. Milledge handed this bag to Mr. Young, who was boarding a plane at that moment bound for Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Young then took that bag onto the airplane as carry-on luggage."
After other passengers raised suspicions, the plane was stopped as it taxied for takeoff and the gun was recovered. Young and Milledge were arrested (see previous story).
Milledge is expected to plead guilty next week, and both men will be sentenced later.