Pennsylvania Man Puts TSA Staff On Alert With Live Turtle In His Pants: 'He Obviously Wasn’t Circumcised'

A passenger passing through on Friday, March 7, 2025, greeted New Jersey airport TSA with bizarre behavior.

The man caused a scene for the federal Transportation Security Administration after alarms went off on him for carrying a strange object in his pants.

The Pennsylvania man's case was similar to that of Mike Epps, who was caught by TSA at the Indianapolis International Airport in 2023 with a revolver and ammunition.

The culprit was reportedly going through security at a New Jersey airport when personnel discovered he had a live turtle tucked away in his pants.

According to the Federal Transportation Security Administration, the man traveling through Newark Liberty International Airport was stopped after a body scanner alarm was triggered. 

TSA officers reportedly conducted a pat-down and discovered something concealed in the man's groin area. Upon further questioning, he revealed a small red-eared slider turtle, roughly 5 inches long, wrapped in a blue towel.

The man's identity was not disclosed, but he explained that the turtle is a popular pet species. AP News confirmed that he was eventually walked out of the checkpoint area by Port Authority police, causing him to miss his flight. 

The animal was also confiscated as authorities could not determine if it was his pet or why it was tucked in his pants. A top official for TSA found the occurrence very weird as he said:

"We have seen travelers try to conceal knives and other weapons on their person, in their shoes and in their luggage, however I believe this is the first time we have come across someone who was concealing a live animal down the front of his pants."

TSA's Federal Security Director for New Jersey, Thomas Carter, said, "As best as we could tell, the turtle was not harmed by the man's actions."

He assured everyone that the incident remains under investigation but could not confirm if the man would face any charges or penalties for his attempt to board with a hidden turtle.

Internet users could not help but find the scenario at the airport very amusing, as most of the comments wondered about the thought process behind him going in with a turtle in his pants.

They expressed their shock in a series of comments on X. This user wrote, "Man found with a live turtle concealed in his pants by TSA. How was your day?" Another commenter added, "Regular or snapper? Seems relevant?" One commenter hilariously stressed, "He obviously wasn't circumcised."

"Would have been great if it was a snapping turtle,"[sic] this X user noted. This commenter extended their sympathy to the "turtle and TSA."

Similar to the case of the Pennsylvania man, The Blast shared that the former "Real Housewives of New York City" star had an interesting experience in 2023 while traveling to Aspen with her daughter, Bryn Hoppy.

When they went through security, it was not her boots, jewelry, or clothing that set off the TSA scanners; it was something far more personal. This unexpected revelation left Bryn curious about what her mother might be hiding.

Frankel quickly took to social media to share her amusing experience with the TSA, posting a series of images and a video that captured the moment. The first two slides showed her looking puzzled and slightly uncomfortable as a TSA agent conducted a seemingly invasive search of her lower half.

The third slide featured a TSA body scanner image, highlighting a red square over her lower body to indicate that something suspicious had been detected. She recounted the event in humor, assuring fans her private parts held nothing suspicious despite the detector's warning.

Despite numerous checks conducted by the personnel, the former reality star continued to trigger the buzzer. This ongoing incident left Frankel and the female TSA agent perplexed and wondering what might be causing the repeated alarms.

The actor released a short clip after the incident, insisting that he kept the gun on him for security reasons. As shared by The Blast, he acted unfazed about the legal implications that might trail his actions.

The star shared in his address to his fans: "I had a long night, I had a show in my hometown, and I literally forgot that I had my pistol in my bag. Now, if you want to know why I carry a gun…I carry money all the time and be having jewelry on, and these dudes is out here robbing people."

Epps explained that he was not in the wrong for protecting himself, especially whenever he moved around without his security detail: "I'm still on some positive vibes, and sorry that it happened. All I can tell you is that the world is crazy; stay strapped."

Hopefully, the Newark TSA will not have to deal with more turtle incidents in the near future!