Newark baggage handler arrested for gun-running NEWARK, N.J. (AP) =97 Prosecutors say a baggage handler at Newark Liberty=20 International Airport used airplanes to smuggle guns from Alabama to=20 northern New Jersey, where they were quickly sold on the street. Antonio=20 Lewis, 30, of Jersey City, was arrested Monday at the airport without=20 incident, and charged with violating federal firearms laws. The U.S. Bureau= =20 of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Hudson County officials=20 announced the arrest Wednesday. ATF Special Agent Joseph Green said Lewis=20 went to Alabama where he and at least two straw purchasers who bought guns= =20 for him purchased at least 18 handguns. He used his airport security=20 clearance as an American Airlines employee to smuggle the guns aboard=20 planes, in some cases tucked away inside his own baggage, Green said.=20 "Being an employee, he was able to get the guns on the planes," Green said. The smuggling occurred before federal aviation authorities required all=20 bags to be checked for weapons, Green said. "This slipped through the=20 cracks because of that," he said. No one else had been charged in the case= =20 as of Wednesday, but Alabama authorities are continuing an investigation,=20 Green said. The case came to light when authorities in Jersey City arrested= =20 two people who had handguns with the serial numbers filed off. The guns=20 were sent to a federal crime laboratory where the serial numbers were=20 successfully detected, and used to identify the points of purchase. The=20 guns are being checked to see if they were used to commit any crimes. At=20 least six were bought by others for Lewis at a pawn shop in Selma, Ala.=20 Lewis bought another 12 himself, using an Alabama driver's license, Green=20 said. The purchases were made between June and September 2002. Lewis was=20 charged with dealing firearms without a license, and possession of firearms= =20 with defaced serial numbers. Both offenses are punishable by up to five=20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He was released on $100,000 bail and=20 subjected to electronic monitoring at his home. American Airlines officials= =20 said Lewis was suspended and will be terminated. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.natalielaughlin.com/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************