Federal building visit brings weapon charges

A Florida couple was charged on multiple weapons counts yesterday after attempting to enter a federal building in Philadelphia with live ammunition and knives.

Louis and Kathy Boumpani of Palm Coast presented two briefcases and a cardboard box at 10:30 a.m. Thursday to security officers at the William J. Green Federal Building.

An X-ray scan revealed the contents: two seven-inch knives, four 20-gauge shotgun shells, and two .25-caliber rifle rounds, authorities said. But that was nothing compared with the cache agents found in the minivan the couple had parked in an underground garage at the Constitution Center.

Inside the van, agents found three small dogs. They also found a loaded Remington 20-gauge shotgun, a loaded Savage Arms .22 rifle, six additional shotgun rounds, 14 knives and daggers, and a three-foot sword.

The discovery prompted police to shut down the area around Independence Mall and evacuate nearly 2,000 people.

The couple said they had been victims of identity theft and mortgage fraud, and had come to Philadelphia to ask the FBI to investigate. The Boumpanis first said they had no idea how the knives and ammo got into the containers, suggesting their dogs might have accidentally knocked them in.

In further questioning, Louis Boumpani admitted he had recently been released on bail after a felony arrest in Florida for eluding police. They loaded the minivan Saturday and drove north, mainly on back roads, according to the affidavit.

Additional charges are pending.