In a statement issued by the Wayne County Airport Authority, Judge Cylenthia LaToye Miller, a Wayne County Juvenile Court judge, was cited for attempting to carry a loaded firearm through the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport security checkpoint. Matt Morawski, a spokesman for the airport, confirmed that Miller was ticketed and released on Saturday after Transportation Security Agency (TSA) agents discovered a .380 Smith & Wesson pistol inside her purse. The incident was initially reported by The Detroit News.
While it is legal to travel with unloaded firearms stored in a checked bag, rules distinctly prohibit travelers from even attempting to bring loaded guns into an airplane cabin. TSA agents intervened when they located the loaded weapon as Miller was attempting to pass through airport security. According to WWJ Newsradio 950, Miller, who has previously served as a 36th District Court judge before being appointed to the Third Circuit Court by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, holds a valid Concealed Pistol License (CPL).
The legality of the firearm's registration came into question soon thereafter. Miller's legal counsel, Todd Perkins, admitted, as per WXYZ Detroit that he didn't know whether the gun was registered at the time it was found. Perkins also mentioned that Judge Miller has been preoccupied with personal issues, stating, that she’s "been going through a difficult time in her personal life recently, spending time caring for a close loved-one who’s facing health challenges."
Despite the circumstances Miller finds herself in, the law is clear on the issue at hand. Perkins noted, as per WXYZ Detroit, "She’s not looking for any credit for being a judge, she’s definitely not doing that," as he stressed the judge's commitment to hold herself accountable and face the misdemeanor charge of carrying a dangerous weapon in an airport, which may result in up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Communications officials for the airport and the city attorney for Romulus refrained from commenting on the pending case, which now looms large not only in legal terms but also in the court of public opinion.
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