by KYW's Tony Hanson
A 29-year-old Philadelphia man who smuggled an unloaded 9mm handgun onto a US Airways flight to Pheonix last June has been sentenced to eight weekends in custody and five years' probation.
Damien Young, coming off a failed marraige, was moving to Arizona. He was looking for a fresh start. But it was a horrible beginning to his fresh start.
He admits sneaking the gun onto the plane (see related story) but denies any sinister intent. The government agrees, indicating he got the help of a co-defendant who worked for US Airways simply because it was easier to smuggle the gun than to follow proper notification procedures.
But other passengers noticed some suspicious behavior, notified airline officials, and the plane was stopped as it taxied out for takeoff. Contrary to earlier reports from investigators, Young had no ammunition with him.
Judge Mitchell Goldberg asked Young about the gun:
(Judge Goldberg:) "Was the gun just placed in a suitcase or was it in a carrying case?"
(Young:) "It was just, like, just in my bag."
(Judge:) "In your bag."
(Young:) "I guess, my little briefcase-type bag."
(Judge:) "Right."(Young:) "File folders, that type of thing."
(Judge:) "And no ammunition? Either in the gun or on the plane?"
(Young:) "No ammunition in the gun, on the plane, in the underground, above in the cargo, nowhere on the plane at all."
The defense had sought probation.
An airline employee who helped Young smuggle the gun aboard will be sentenced next week.
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