SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A former employee at Los Angeles International Airport was sentenced to five years in prison for twice smuggling firearms past security checkpoints.
Lionel Rodriguez, 31, was accused of smuggling five unloaded firearms, four fake hand grenades and several defused explosives past checkpoints in November 1999. A month before, Rodriguez had sneaked five guns past airport security, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jean A. Kawahara.
"He was known as someone who could smuggle items and other things aboard planes," Kawahara said. "Because of his position at a duty-free shop, he had the means to get past security measures others could not."
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U.S. District Judge Gary A. Taylor also fined Rodriguez $5,000.