SAN JUAN, P.R., May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A complaint was filed late yesterday against Jose Pol for attempting to carry dangerous weapons on an aircraft, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, announced today. The defendant, who was going to board Jet Blue flight number 860, departing from Carolina, P.R., to Boston, was carrying a stun gun, a pepper spray canister, four box cutters and a switch blade knife.

Pol was in line to pass through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) check point at the Luis Munoz Marin Airport in Carolina, P.R. The defendant was carrying two pieces of luggage, one containing a laptop and the other containing items which could be used to threaten, incapacitate, harm, injure or cause the death of the security personnel on board the aircraft, and/or endanger the lives of the crew members and passengers on board the flight.

The TSA Officer asked the defendant to accompany him to the TSA security office. Pol voluntarily went and waited in the room until FBI agents arrived and took custody of him.

"We will continue to investigate this matter vigorously until we determine the defendant's motives in attempting to board an airliner with the dangerous weapons he was carrying," said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Ruiz Santiago, Chief of the Criminal Division. If convicted, the defendant could face up to 10 years in prison. The detention and bail hearings are scheduled for Friday, May 21, 2010, before Magistrate Judge Marcos Lopez. The defendant remains in custody.

A criminal complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation continues.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

RELATED LINKS
http://www.justice.gov