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Airport Gun Trial Date Set for Delaware Lawmaker

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DOVER, Del. (AP) - A trial date has been set in Maryland for a Delaware state senator who carried a loaded handgun into an airport.

Online court records show an Aug. 28 trial scheduled in Wicomico County for Sen. Brian Pettyjohn. A preliminary hearing remains scheduled for July 25.

Pettyjohn is accused of violating a prohibition against boarding or attempting to board an aircraft with any firearm or explosive, whether openly or concealed.  The felony charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Pettyjohn, a Georgetown Republican, was headed to a conference in New Orleans last month when Transportation Security Administration workers at Salisbury Regional Airport found the 9 mm handgun.

Pettyjohn, who has a concealed-carry license in Delaware, has said he inadvertently left the gun in a laptop bag while packing.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.