Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Judicial Operations Bureau
- Criminal Court Security Section

James Franklin Lowy
DOB: 07/28/1967
Address: 16216 1^st Street East, Redington Beach
Charge: 1 count of Carrying Concealed Firearm

What:
Deputies arrested a local attorney for bringing a loaded handgun into the Pinellas County Justice Center.

When:
The incident occurred at about 9:00 a.m. on September 15, 2016.

Where:
The incident occurred at the Pinellas County Justice Center located at 14250 49^th Street N., in Clearwater.

How/Why:
Deputies say that local attorney, 49-year-old James Lowy, entered the main public entrance of the Pinellas County Justice Center located at 14250 49th Street N., in Clearwater, at about 9:00 a.m. on September, 15, 2016.

Lowy proceeded to the security screening area near the entrance of the courthouse and placed his belongings onto a tray to be checked by the x-ray machine. While monitoring the x-ray machine, Sheriff's Office staff identified the outline of a handgun and a magazine containing ammunition in Lowy's backpack.

Deputies inspected Lowy's backpack and found a loaded Ruger .45 caliber handgun containing a fully loaded magazine with one bullet in the chamber. A second fully loaded magazine was found inside the same backpack.

Lowy was detained and interviewed by deputies. Lowy admitted to deputies that the handgun was his.  According to Lowy, he was scheduled to attend a disbarment hearing at the Pinellas County Justice Center.

Lowy did not possess a concealed weapon permit.

Lowy was arrested without incident and charged with one count of Carrying a Concealed Firearm.

Booking photograph of James F. Lowy.