Felon convicted of carrying gun detected by TSA screeners

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A 41-year-old felon convicted of carrying a loaded gun in Alaska has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.

Ryan Matthew Neely of Woodenville, Washington, pleaded guilty in October to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced Monday.

Federal prosecutors say Neely was detained Feb. 20, 2018, when he attempted to carry a gun through airport security in Juneau. Transportation Safety Administration screeners spotted the weapon in a duffel bag.

Neely told officers he had no knowledge of the gun and that he had grabbed the duffel from someone else.

At the Juneau Police Department, he presented stolen identification.

Police established his true identity and learned he had prior convictions for theft, possession of stolen mail and identify theft.