Bucs' Da'Quan Bowers arrested for carrying gun at airport By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Da'Quan Bowers and Gerald McCoy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrate after Bowers' sack of quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers during play at Bank of America Stadium on Nov. 18, 2012 in Charlotte, N.C. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images/AFP)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Da’Quan Bowers was arrested at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Monday morning after police discovered he illegally carrying a handgun, WNBC in New York reported.

Bowers was about to board a flight to Raleigh, N.C., when he was arrested at a check-in counter after he was found with a loaded .40 caliber gun in his carry-on bag, a spokesmen for the Port Authority and the Queens District Attorney’s office told the TV station.

According to USA Today, Bowers informed the airline employees at the counter that he had a gun in his bag when he checked in. A spokesman for the Queens District Attorney said he did not try to go through security with the gun.

He was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and was scheduled to appear in court Monday night.

A second-year pro, Bowers played in 10 games in 2012, with no starts. He had nine tackles and three sacks.