Former TSA Agent Accused Of Illegally Detaining A Woman At LAX

SACRAMENTO (CBSLA) -- A former Transportation Security Administration agent has been arrested on a felony charge after allegedly falsely imprisoning an airline passenger at Los Angeles International Airport.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced Thursday that Johnathon Lomeli is accused of using fraud or deceit to intentionally and unlawfully detain a woman who was going through security at LAX on June 10, 2019.

A criminal complaint was also filed against Lomeli.

The investigation was part of a joint effort involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice, Federal Air Marshals Service, Los Angeles Police Department and the TSA.

Becerra said in a statement that the former TSA agent's alleged actions represent a mistreatment of women that will not be tolerated.

"Women deserve to be treated with dignity and respect everywhere," Becerra said. "There is no excuse for this kind of alleged behavior. It's not okay on the street, it's not okay in our schools, and it's certainly not welcome at the airport. At the California Department of Justice, we'll continue to do everything in our power to hold those who break the law accountable."

LAX is one of the busiest airports in the world. Approximately 88.1 million passengers traveled through the airport in 2019, according to Los Angeles World Airports.