Colorado Women Arrested At Albany Airport Trying To Declare Her Firearm

A Colorado woman was arrested at Albany Airport after she declared her legally-owned firearm with the TSA. WNYT reports that Haley Leach, who had been vacationing in Hunter, New York since November, did not have a a New York State pistol permit and was taken into custody and charged with criminal possession of a weapon. She was later released on bail. 

New York does recognize any out-of-state gun permits and anybody who travels through the state with a gun risks being arrested, even if they have a valid permit from their home state. 

Leach's arrest has increased calls for New York to adopt reciprocity laws with other states to prevent otherwise law-abiding citizens from being taken into custody and charged with a crime. News 10 spoke with Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple who said the situation "is sad because it’s happening more and more." He wants state legislators to enact the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would prevent people who are traveling through the state from becoming criminals. 

“These are people that are professionals,” he said. “They are doctors, pilots, lawyers, cops, firemen, whatever the case may be, and then when they go to fly out they get arrested.”