[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Department of Justice revealed on Monday that a California man caught at the Juneau airport in possession of a firearm in October 2017 has been sentenced in Juneau to 34 months in prison.

According to the release, 42-year-old Brent Ernst Hansen was detained at the airport on October 16th, 2017 while trying to clear security. TSA personnel at the security checkpoint recognized a handgun in a backpack in the X-ray machine.

The investigation that ensued would discover that Hansen’s backpack contained a loaded Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol. When queried about the weapon in his possession, Hansen said that he had forgotten that it was in his pack.

The investigation was taken over by Juneau police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Investigators asked Hansen about his status to own or possess a firearm, Hansen answered that he did not know, but a background check would determine that Hansen had multiple felonies that included burglary, possession of a controlled substance, attempted grand theft, and felon in possession of a firearm in the state of California. This status as a convicted felon barred him from possessing a firearm. 

Further investigation would find that the firearm in question had in fact been reported as stolen.

Following completion of his 34 months in prison, Hanson is subject to three years of supervised release.

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