Man with hidden box cutter at TIA security indicted

TAMPA -- A federal grand jury has indicted Benjamin Baines Jr., a 22-year-old Clearwater man accused of trying to smuggle a box cutter in a book through security at Tampa International Airport last month.

The felony federal charge of attempting to carry a dangerous weapon on an aircraft is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Baines already is serving a 30-day jail sentence after pleading guilty Feb. 18 to state charges of carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor.

The federal grand jury handed up its indictment Wednesday.

Baines was scheduled to board Southwest Airlines Flight 338 to Jacksonville on Feb. 17, then catch another plane to Las Vegas, when an X-ray image of a box cutter showed up inside his backpack at TIA security. Officials found the box cutter hidden in a hollowed-out book.

Baines told investigators he forgot the box cutter was inside the copy of Fear Itself. Baines told airport police he had cut out the pages of the book to keep marijuana and money from being stolen by roommates.

- Kevin Graham, Times staff writer