Since this story will only be available today at http://www.gazette.com/daily/top1a.html, I'll post the entire article.

Man gets shotgun, shells past airport security

By Barry Bortnick/The Gazette

DENVER -- A Springs man got a shotgun and shells past security at the Colorado Springs Airport but was caught and arrested when he left the terminal and tried to enter a second time, police said Wednesday.

The security breach occurred Tuesday, federal authorities said, when a 20-year-old man bound for Ontario, Calif., carried the disassembled weapon and ammunition through an X-ray screening center in his luggage.

The blunder was discovered only when the suspect, Bradley Charles Cooper of Colorado Springs, left the secure boarding area to go outside for a cigarette and re-entered the screening area, authorities said.

This time, his nylon carry-on bag was hand-searched.

The inspection turned up component parts to a Sigura AVM Brescia shotgun and six rounds of Winchester 20- gauge ammunition, according to a federal affidavit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

Federal investigators said Cooper forgot that the weapon, which had been broken down into three parts, was in the bag, according to the affidavit.

Colorado Springs Police arrested Cooper on a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon. Cooper was not charged with a federal crime. Dick Weatherbee, a spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver, said prosecutors were evaluating Cooper's case.

"We are not sure there is a relevant crime for him," Weatherbee said of Cooper. "It is a federal crime to take a weapon on an aircraft, but he never got on a plane. He was at an airport with a disassembled gun."

Cooper is not the only one in trouble over the weapon. Authorities say the shotgun actually belonged to Cooper's roommate, Robert Edward Kent, who was charged in federal court on Wednesday with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Kent, whose prior convictions include possession of a controlled substance, first-degree theft and second-degree burglary, was taken into federal custody. A detention hearing is set for Oct. 9 in Denver.

Authorities say Kent was storing the shotgun in the nylon bag when Cooper borrowed the bag for his trip.

Kent told his roommate to remove the shotgun, but Cooper simply packed his goods and went to the airport. He arrived Tuesday more than three hours ahead of schedule, passed through security and had more than an hour to wait.

Cooper asked a security staff member to watch his bag while he went outside to smoke, the affidavit said. He took the bag with him after being told that the item could not be left behind.

He put the bag through the X-ray screening machine upon his return.

This time, screener Yaisa Holmes hand-searched the bag and yelled upon seeing the butt of a shotgun, according to the affidavit. Cooper immediately realized that he had forgotten to remove Kent's weapon.

Cooper told authorities the weapon belonged to his roommate.

Kent cooperated with authorities after he learned of Cooper's arrest.

Kent told police he bought the shotgun two or three weeks ago for $100. Kent said he bought the gun for protection following several burglaries near his home.

As the largest air carrier in the Springs, United Airlines is responsible for airport security. United contracts out the screening and X-ray jobs to Huntleigh U.S. Corp.

Jim Poshusta, a general manager with United Airlines in Colorado Springs, said he was not present when the weapon was found. He directed calls to the airline's corporate headquarters in Chicago, where a spokesperson could not be reached for comment.