Man Sentenced to 7-years In Prison Over $2 Subway Fare, Criminal Possession of a Weapon

If your going to carry a loaded deadly weapon onto a crowded subway train in a city known for its strict gun laws at least pay the fare.

For Ruben Sanabria, the $2.25 cost to board a PATH train at the 14th Street station in Manhattan, was a bit steep so the 37-year-old made the bad decision to jump the turnstile. Two cops on the scene caught him in the act and during a search found a loaded .40-caliber Smith & Wesson on his person.

Sanabria pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, which carries a  maximum sentence of 15-years.

Yesterday, a judge threw the book at Sanabria and sentenced him to seven-years in jail and an additional three-and-a-half years of probation, the New York Post reports.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. told the New York Post that the sentencing was just and sends a message to others thinking of carrying guns on America's busiet transit system.

"This defendant illegally carried a loaded semiautomatic firearm into a public transportation system used by thousands of people every day," he said.

"Preventing gun violence is one of my top priorities as district attorney, and I will make sure that this office continues to seek strong sentences for crimes involving firearms," Vance said.