Veteran actor Dennis Farina was arrested at Los Angeles International
Airport (LAX) yesterday for carrying a gun as he attempted to board an airplane,
police said.
The gun was spotted by federal Transportation Safety Administration agents as
they searched Farina's briefcase, according to LAX police.
He is charged with a misdemeanor weapons charge and was taken to the a police
station, and his bail was set at US$25,000.
Farina played detective Joe Fontana in more than 40 episodes of "Law And
Order" on the NBC television network, as well as regular roles in the TV series
"Miami Vice," "In-Laws" and "Crime Story."
The 64-year-old actor also had roles in "Saving Private Ryan" and numerous
other movies.
Farina was handcuffed at the United Airlines terminal, where he was booked on
a flight to Chicago.
Farina, 64, told police he had forgotten he had the gun in the briefcase as
he drove in from Arizona to catch a flight to Chicago from LAX.
The actor said he is a former Chicago police officer, but admitted he did not
have a permit to carry a concealed weapon at the time of his arrest, police
said.
