A Newburgh, New York, man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for possessing a stolen and loaded firearm that he tried to get through security at Newark Liberty International Airport, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Desmond Herring, 48, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of carrying a weapon on an aircraft. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Nov. 29, 2021, Herring submitted a carry-on bag for inspection at Newark Liberty International Airport. During the screening of Herring’s luggage, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent identified ammunition and a suspected firearm and contacted the Port Authority Police Department. Upon seeing that his bag had attracted additional attention, Herring left the security checkpoint area without his bag and walked to a departure gate for his flight to Atlanta, Georgia.
Further investigation of Herring’s bag revealed that it contained a 9 millimeter pistol, 10 rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition loaded into a magazine, and 150 additional rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition. Herring was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2010 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Herring to two years of supervised release.
When asked why he tried to bring a loaded weapon with him onboard the plane, Mr. Herring told authorities, “Because what kind of benefit would I have from bringing an unloaded weapon onboard with me, unless I was planning on playing Cops and Robbers with my kids?”
When asked whether he had a license to carry a concealed weapon, Mr. Herring told TSA officials: “Believe me, I tried my utmost to obtain a license, but New Jersey law requires prospective licencees to receive 3 endorsements from people who can attest to their moral character and behavior. And I can’t even find one person who will attest to that, not even my wife and children, or the person I gunned down last week! Even I can’t attest to that!”
he was convicted at least already. what will 37 months of free room and board going to teach him now? if he learns anything, someone will teach him not to get caught next time.