Fort Lauderdale airport worker charged with hiding weapon, ammo inside terminal
A janitor who works at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is accused of hiding a handgun and ammunition inside a terminal in violation of federal airport security laws, authorities said.
Mikenson Regis, 27, who was arrested Saturday upon returning from Haiti, had his first appearance in Fort Lauderdale federal court Tuesday. His detention hearing is set for Friday and arraignment for June 11.
His defense attorney, Jennito Simon, said his client made a simple mistake but did not commit a crime.
“This case is no different than when someone goes to the airport and realizes they have a prohibited item in their bag that they didn’t know was in the bag,” Simon said.
Regis, a U.S. citizen, is charged with breaking airport security laws by stashing the pistol, a Ruger 9mm, two magazines and a box of ammunition in a black trash bag in the ceiling of a janitorial closet inside Terminal 3, according to a Homeland Security Investigations’ complaint and affidavit. Also hidden in the ceiling was a second black trash bag containing a blue zip-up handbag with a silver tag.
An airport construction employee discovered the two black trash bags on May 21, when the worker was inspecting the plumbing in the ceiling of the janitorial closet, the affidavit said. The trash bags fell to the ground.
Broward Sheriff’s deputies traced the Ruger 9mm to a Pompano Beach pawnshop where Regis bought it on May 1, according to the affidavit. Regis lives in Pompano Beach.
BSO deputies then discovered that Regis works for Sunshine Cleaning Systems, a contractor at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
BSO deputies also checked the closed circuit TV footage and found that Regis was captured carrying the blue zip-up handbag to the janitorial closet on the night of May 20, when he showed up for work, according to the affidavit.
Regis departed for Haiti the following morning and returned on Saturday, when he was arrested at the airport. Federal agents attempted to speak with him, but he invoked his right to an attorney, the affidavit said.
His lawyer, Simon, said there is a simple explanation for his actions.
“Unfortunately, my client didn’t want to risk his job — once on the clock an employee is not allowed to leave the airport,” Simon said. “My client had a plane to catch after his shift, so he panicked and thought hiding it [the gun and ammo] away from public was the safe bet to save his job. There was no ill intent, just a mistake compounded by panic.”
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. U.S. Customs and Border Protection also assisted.
The security breach happened two and a half years after a military veteran opened fire in the same Fort Lauderdale airport, killing five travelers and wounding six others. Esteban Santiago, 28, was sentenced last year to five consecutive life sentences for those who were murdered along with an additional 120 years in prison for those wounded in the shooting massacre at the airport on Jan. 6, 2017.
Santiago was accused of flying on a one-way ticket from Alaska to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to carry out the shootings of elderly travelers.
Santiago packed his handgun in a case that he had declared on the Anchorage-Fort Lauderdale flight, retrieved the weapon, loaded it in an airport bathroom and then calmly opened fire in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2, before encountering a Broward Sheriff’s deputy while exiting. He surrendered immediately.
Jay Weaver: 305-376-3446, @jayhweaver
This story was originally published May 28, 2019 at 2:47 PM.
