Indiana Republican U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz has been charged with bringing a firearm through airport security, according to authorities.

Authorities announced Monday that Indiana Republican U.S. Representative Victoria Spartz faces charges for carrying a firearm through airport security.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority stated that Spartz, 45, has been charged with a Class 1 misdemeanour under Virginia law.

A spokesperson from the TSA reported that officers discovered an unloaded .380-caliber firearm in Spartz's carry-on bag during security screening on Friday at Washington Dulles International Airport.

In a statement, Spartz's office explained that she inadvertently carried the unloaded handgun in her suitcase pocket while passing through security en route to a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

"Rep. Spartz was issued a citation and proceeded with her international flight," the statement read.

TSA regulations permit passengers to travel with firearms, provided they are declared with the airline and secured in a hard-sided case within checked baggage. Firearms are strictly forbidden at security checkpoints.

If convicted, the charge could result in up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Spartz, a two-term congresswoman from central Indiana, secured a victory in a heated primary in May, despite having previously announced in 2023 that she would not seek re-election.

A Trump-aligned Republican and staunch Second Amendment advocate, Spartz is the first Ukrainian-born member of Congress. Notably, she recently voted against providing war aid to Ukraine, marking a significant shift from her earlier stance following Russia's invasion of the country.