US citizen federally charged in New Jersey for alleged attempt to board international flight with concealed weapons

NEWARK, N.J. — Michael John Davidson, 41, of New Brunswick, N.J., was charged Tuesday with attempting to board an aircraft with a dangerous weapon. Davidson was arrested following a multi-agency investigation involving special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to court documents, on July 9, 2012, Davidson purchased a one-way ticket on a Lufthansa flight for $2,643.32 in cash. The flight was scheduled to depart to Düsseldorf, Germany with a connecting flight to Budapest, Hungary. Due to the circumstances of his ticket purchase, Davidson was selected for additional screening at the security checkpoint, but failed to comply with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers' instructions. Following an x-ray examination and additional inspection, law enforcement officers discovered six razor blades concealed in Davidson's carry-on luggage. Despite repeated warnings, Davidson continued to obstruct officers attempting to search his property.

The count with which Davidson is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

In addition to HSI, District of New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, officers of TSA in Newark, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, for their work in the ongoing investigation.