Florida Airport Crimes 

Airports move fast, and that speed can turn a stressful moment into a criminal case before you fully understand what is happening. A bag gets flagged at the checkpoint. A prescription bottle raises questions. A heated argument with an airline employee escalates. Or someone realizes, too late, that a firearm was packed in the wrong place. At Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Miami International Airport (MIA), and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), the presence of TSA screening, layered law enforcement, and heightened security procedures often means there is less patience for mistakes and more momentum toward arrest.

The Ansara Law Firm, led by Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Richard Ansara, represents people charged in Broward County, Miami Dade County, and Palm Beach County. The firm focuses on fighting state and federal criminal accusations with a trial forward approach and a practical plan for protecting your record, your freedom, and your ability to travel. 

Why Airport Arrests Feel Different Than Other Criminal Cases

An airport is not just another public place. It is a security controlled environment where routine behaviors, like reaching into a bag, raising your voice, or stepping into a restricted area, can be interpreted through a different lens. Many airport cases begin with an administrative interaction, such as a screening referral or an ID issue, and then quickly become criminal when law enforcement is involved.

Airports also concentrate agencies. At these three South Florida hubs, a single incident may involve airport police, local police, county deputies, TSA, and sometimes federal authorities depending on the allegation and whether international travel is involved. That layered response can create multiple reports, multiple interviews, and multiple evidence streams. It also creates opportunities for defense, especially when procedures are rushed, assumptions are made, or a case is built on incomplete context.

The Three Airports and Where Your Case Is Prosecuted

Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

FLL cases are typically handled in Broward County. FLL has also been identified as a frequent site for firearm interceptions during screening, which is one reason gun related airport arrests are so common in the Fort Lauderdale area. 

Miami International Airport (MIA)

MIA cases are commonly prosecuted in Miami Dade County, but the facts matter. MIA also has a significant international footprint, so certain allegations can trigger federal interest or parallel administrative consequences even when state charges are filed.

Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)

PBI cases are generally prosecuted in Palm Beach County. PBI firearm and restricted area cases often arise from everyday travel habits, such as leaving a lawful weapon in a carry on bag or misunderstanding what qualifies as the “sterile area” of the terminal.

Common Airport Crime Allegations

Airport crime is not one category. It is a collection of charges that share one theme: they happen in a place where security rules are strict and the response is immediate. Below are the issues we see most often.

Firearms and Weapons at the Terminal

Florida law specifically treats the inside of an airport passenger terminal and sterile area as a restricted place for concealed carry, even for licensed individuals, subject to limited exceptions for properly encased firearms being checked as baggage. The key statute is Florida Statutes section 790.06(12)(a)(14). 

A firearm airport case may involve several possible charges depending on licensing, location, and how the weapon was carried. Prosecutors often look at:

F.S. 790.06(12)(a)(14), carrying into the passenger terminal or sterile area of an airport
F.S. 790.01, carrying a concealed firearm or concealed weapon
Other related provisions in Chapter 790 depending on the item and the facts

Even when someone has no criminal intent, the state may still push the case forward because airports are treated as high risk environments. FLL, in particular, has been noted as a leading Florida airport for firearm confiscations and related arrests, and the reality is that heightened enforcement makes mistakes more expensive there. 

Drugs, Controlled Substances, and Prescription Issues

Airport drug cases can start in several ways. Sometimes the TSA finds suspected contraband in a bag. Sometimes law enforcement becomes involved after an arrest for something else. Sometimes a traveler is accused of trafficking based on quantity, packaging, or travel patterns, even when the person believes they are carrying something legal.

Florida drug cases frequently involve statutes in Chapter 893, including F.S. 893.13 for possession, sale, manufacture, or delivery, and F.S. 893.135 for trafficking thresholds. The consequences can range from probation eligible offenses to life changing felony exposure, especially when prosecutors claim intent to sell, proximity to minors, or large quantities. In airport settings, prosecutors may also argue that travel context supports intent, which makes early defense work critical.

Disorderly Conduct, Trespass, and Incidents With Airport Staff

Not every airport arrest involves contraband. Many start with conflict. A delayed flight, an overbooked plane, a missed connection, or alcohol can raise the temperature in minutes. These cases often lead to charges like:

F.S. 877.03, disorderly conduct
F.S. 810.08 or F.S. 810.09, trespass allegations, depending on the setting and notices given
F.S. 784.03, battery, when there is alleged unwanted touching or escalation
F.S. 784.011 or F.S. 784.021, assault or aggravated assault, depending on allegations of threat and weapon involvement

The problem is that airport witnesses are often strangers, stress is high, and security footage may capture only part of the story. A good defense looks for what happened before the moment everyone remembers, because that is often where context and reasonable doubt live.

Resisting, Obstruction, and “Failure to Comply” Allegations

Airport arrests commonly stack charges. Someone may be stopped for one reason, then accused of resisting during the interaction. Florida prosecutors use these statutes frequently:

F.S. 843.02, resisting an officer without violence
F.S. 843.01, resisting with violence, which carries much higher exposure

These cases are intensely fact driven. What was the officer’s lawful basis for the stop. Were instructions clear. Was the person physically resisting or simply confused, panicked, or trying to understand what was happening. Video, witness statements, and the timeline matter, and they often matter more than the initial police narrative suggests.

Special Firearm Issues at FLL, MIA, and PBI

Accidental Firearm Possession During Screening

Many airport gun cases begin with a familiar sentence: “I forgot it was in my bag.” Even if that is true, you may still be arrested and booked, and you may still face a felony if you do not have the required license or if the state alleges unlawful concealed carry. FLL’s enforcement environment makes these cases particularly common, and the legal strategy often turns on location, accessibility, licensing status, and how quickly the situation was handled once discovered.

The Restricted Place Rule Applies Beyond the TSA Checkpoint

A critical point many travelers miss is that Florida’s restricted place rule is not limited to the security checkpoint. The statute addresses the inside of the passenger terminal and the sterile area. At MIA, the firm’s own educational materials emphasize that passengers cannot carry guns into the terminal, whether before or after screening, and that firearm storage in a secured vehicle may be a separate issue when someone is outside the terminal. 

Penalties and Enhancement Exposure

Gun allegations can also trigger enhancement risk depending on what prosecutors claim happened during the incident. Florida’s firearm enhancement framework, including the well known “10 20 Life” concept in F.S. 775.087, can dramatically change sentencing exposure when a firearm is alleged to be possessed, displayed, or used during another felony. 

The right defense approach depends on what is actually charged, what evidence exists, and what legal defenses apply. Not every airport gun case is the same, and treating them as identical is a fast way to make a bad situation worse.

What Makes Richard Ansara and The Ansara Law Firm Different

Airport cases often demand fast action because evidence is time sensitive. Video can be overwritten. Witnesses can disappear. Travel itineraries can complicate court dates. And a single statement made in the wrong moment can lock the state into a narrative that is hard to unwind.

Richard Ansara is a South Florida native who earned a business degree in management and finance from Florida Atlantic University and graduated with honors from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law School. He also served in the Fort Lauderdale Prosecutor’s Office and the Office of the State Attorney in Broward County, experience that matters when you are dealing with local charging decisions and courtroom strategy. 

He has been recognized by the Broward County Association of Criminal Attorneys with a “Hat Trick Award” for three consecutive not guilty verdicts, and he belongs to organizations including the Broward Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Supreme Court of Florida. 

The firm also highlights real case results that reflect hands-on defense work, including cases where charges were dropped after early contact with prosecutors and cases dismissed after litigation such as a successful motion to suppress based on lack of probable cause. 

How an Airport Crime Defense Is Built

A strong airport defense rarely depends on one single argument. It is built by stacking smart decisions early.

First, the firm identifies the exact location and timeline, because the difference between the ticketing area, the terminal interior, the sterile area, and a parking facility can change what statute applies and what defenses are available. That is especially true in gun cases under F.S. 790.06(12)(a)(14). 

Second, the firm examines how the search happened. TSA screening is administrative, but law enforcement actions that follow are still governed by constitutional rules. When police overreach, evidence can sometimes be challenged or suppressed, and those legal issues can shift leverage quickly.

Third, the defense focuses on intent and knowledge when the facts support it. Many airport allegations involve mistakes, confusion, or poor judgment, not criminal planning. The right defense strategy can include negotiating reductions, pursuing diversion when appropriate, challenging identification, testing chain of custody, and preparing for trial when the state refuses to be reasonable.

Talk to The Ansara Law Firm About Airport Charges at FLL, MIA, or PBI

An arrest at an airport is not something to put on hold or assume will resolve itself. These cases move quickly, and prosecutors often treat them more seriously than similar allegations that occur elsewhere. Security footage can be overwritten, witnesses may be difficult to locate once flights depart, and early statements made without legal guidance can shape the direction of the case before you have a chance to respond. What you do in the first days after an airport arrest often determines whether the case can be controlled or allowed to spiral.

The Ansara Law Firm understands how airport investigations unfold at FLL, MIA, and PBI. Richard Ansara’s background gives him insight into how these cases are screened, charged, and negotiated behind the scenes. That experience allows the firm to step in early, assess the strength of the evidence, identify procedural flaws, and begin building a defense strategy that aligns with your goals, whether that means fighting the charge aggressively or working toward a resolution that protects your record and future.

Airport charges can carry consequences far beyond the courtroom. A conviction may affect your ability to travel, your employment, professional licensing, or immigration status. Even a pending case can create stress and uncertainty that follows you long after the flight you were trying to catch. Having a defense attorney who understands both the legal issues and the practical realities of airport cases can make a meaningful difference in how the situation is resolved.

If you or a loved one has been arrested or is under investigation for an airport-related offense at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, Miami International Airport, or Palm Beach International Airport, do not wait for the state to define the narrative. Contact The Ansara Law Firm to schedule a confidential consultation and discuss your options. Taking action now is the first step toward protecting your freedom, your record, and your future.