A Chinese national, Xuemei Zhao, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for allegedly possessing a firearm and ammunition at Provo Airport. Zhao was charged after a black Rossi Braztech Int'l .357 revolver pistol was discovered in her checked luggage, and nine rounds of .357 ammunition were found in her carry-on bag. These items were meant to accompany her journey to Dallas-Fort Worth via American Airlines flight 6189. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered the undeclared items on March 20, 2025. Zhao, not being a permanent resident and currently holding a pending asylum application, had not disclosed the presence of these items to either TSA or the airline.
Zhao is charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person (alien) and will make her initial court appearance on March 28, 2025. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI's Salt Lake City Field Office, with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and TSA.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah announced the indictment. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy is in charge of prosecuting the case. The indictment comes under the purview of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration and protect communities from violent crime.
"An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," the press release noted.