Man tried to board flight with machine gun, fake U.S. Marshal badge, taser, feds say

A New Jersey man faces multiple federal criminal charges after he allegedly attempted to board an airplane with firearms, ammunition, a bulletproof vest and fraudulent law enforcement credentials, authorities said this week. Two semi-automatic rifles were among the weapons found inside the man's checked baggage at Newark Liberty International Airport last December, according to a recent complaint.

Seretse Clouden, identified as a 42-year-old originally from Bergen County, is accused of carrying three firearms in his checked luggage when he entered the airport on Dec. 30 for a scheduled flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release announcing the case on Monday. 

Authorities say that agents with the Transportation Security Administration initially discovered two .40 caliber Glock magazines, each of which contained 15 rounds of ammunition, and a ballistic vest carrier in Clouden's luggage during a routine screening before the flight's departure. The words "Deputy Marshal" were displayed on the vest carrier, the Justice Department said.