Oct 20, 2008 1:54 pm US/Eastern
Soldier Pleads Not Guilty To NY Airport Gun Rap
NEW YORK (AP) ―
A soldier has pleaded not guilty to a weapon charge following her arrest at a Long Island airport for allegedly carrying a loaded revolver in her checked luggage.
Army Spc. Vonda Collier was arraigned Monday in New York state court on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon. She was ordered held on $5,000 bail or $25,000 bond.
The 38-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, was arrested Sunday at MacArthur Airport. She was scheduled to take a Southwest Airlines flight to Texas.
There was no immediate reply Monday to messages left for her Legal Aid attorney and the Army.
It was the second time in a week security officers reported finding a weapon in luggage at the airport in Ronkonkoma, about 50 miles east of Manhattan.
A Las Vegas man trying to board a flight was arrested Thursday after authorities said a pipe bomb, a knife, fireworks and suspicious electronics were found in his bags. The discovery led to a two-hour evacuation of about 500 passengers from the MacArthur terminal.
His lawyer has said Steven Nobles, 20, inadvertently left the items in his luggage and meant no harm. But a judge said Friday she was troubled by the number and variety of items found in his carryon and checked luggage, and she ordered him held without bail.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
World's Most Useless Facts
Click to enlarge
LIRR Changes Service For Wednesday's Snowfall 6 mins ago 
NYC Public Schools Among Many To Close Wednesday 28 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Comments