Republican congresswoman charged with weapons charges after bringing gun to airport

Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) was issued a citation after bringing an unloaded gun into a Virginia airport on Friday, her office confirmed to HuffPost on Monday.

“Last Friday, Representative Spartz accidentally carried an empty handgun, without a magazine or bullets, in her suitcase without realizing it was in the pocket of her suitcase while going through security at Dulles Airport,” the statement read. “Representative Spartz was issued a citation and boarded her international flight to the OSCE PA meeting in Europe.”

Local Indiana television station WISH-TV reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said it found an unloaded .380-caliber firearm in his carry-on bag.

According to CNN, which cited a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Airports Authority, Spartz was summoned to appear in court and faces a Class 1 misdemeanor.

The penalty for carrying an unloaded firearm through a checkpoint, into a sterile area or on board an aircraft can range from $1,500 to $5,370, and can also lead to a criminal seizure, according to the TSA website.

Spartz is the first and only Ukrainian-born immigrant lawmaker. She voted against a bill that would provide more than $60 billion in aid to Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin wages war against the country.

Jonathan Nicholson contributed reporting.