Second-year NFL cornerback Jack Jones, is facing criminal charges after the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found two loaded guns and ammunition in his carry-on luggage. He was arrested by the Massachusetts State Police inside the Logan International Airport in Boston on Friday (June 16).
Jones was about to get on a flight to Arizona, but TSA stopped him in Terminal B as he made his way through security. They noticed the firearms and ammunition as his bag went through the X-ray scanner. He was then taken into custody at around 5:30 p.m. inside the State Police Logan Airport Barracks.
According to the AP, Jones is now facing two counts (each) of possession of a concealed weapon in a secure area of the airport, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of a large-capacity feeding device.
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TSA rules allow airline passengers to ‘transport unloaded firearms in checked baggage,’ but only if they are ‘placed in a ‘locked, hard-sided container’ and passengers must notify an airline of the firearm prior to traveling. Disobeying these rules can result in a criminal referral and/or a fine of up to $15,000 per charge.
As of right now, Jones is scheduled to be arraigned of his criminal charges in East Boston District Court next week. His bail was set at $50,000. According to a TSA statement, the two firearms were the ninth and 10th firearms found by TSA inside carry-on luggage at the Logan International Airport in 2023 alone.
“More than 2,900 firearms have been discovered by TSA officers nationwide so far this year. More than 92% of those have been loaded,” the statement read. PEOPLE reached out to TSA and Massachusetts State Police, but neither responded. Likewise, Jack Jones has yet to release a statement on the arrest.
Jack Jones Having a Troubled Start to NFL Career
Jack Jones is a 25-year-old cornerback who played one year of college ball at USC and three more years at Arizona State. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and appeared in 13 games as a rookie – he recorded 30 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 touchdown.
A New England Patriots’ sppokesperson released a statement following the incident. “We have been notified that Jack Jones was arrested at Logan Airport earlier today. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not be commenting further at this time,” the statement read, according to ESPN.
Believe it or not, this is the second time Jack Jones has gotten in trouble. Towards the end of his rookie year, Jones was suspended two games by the Patriots for ‘being late to rehab sessions, according to Albert Breer in January. He was nursing a knee injury that he suffered in the team’s Week 14 matchup.
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Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick, who runs a tight ship in New England, wasn’t about to let the incident slide and, instead used it as a teaching moment. He addressed Jones’ suspension in a team meeting and let the rest of his players know ‘this isn’t what we’re looking for’ in a player who’s rehabbing an injury.
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