Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School and Clemson University football star and present Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Da’Quan Bowers (6-5,290) was arrested at La Guardia Airport in New York Monday for allegedly carrying a .40 caliber handgun in a carry-on bag as he tried to board a flight to North Carolina authorities said.

A bullet clip was also allegedly found in his luggage, though the clip was not in the gun, the weapon is considered loaded under New York law because it was filled with bullets. According to reports, Bowers said he bought the gun legally in Florida. According to reports, Bowers was charged with two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, a felony which carries a minimum sentence of three and a half years or up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He was released on a $10,000 bail . Bowers is due back in court on April 11.

According to reports, Bowers reportedly admitted to having the weapon as he arrived at the U.S. Airways ticket counter and acknowledged that he did not have a permit for the gun according to reports.

A two-year starter at Clemson, Bowers was projected to be a Top 5 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft before concerns over a right knee that required surgery to repair torn meniscus in January of 2011. Bowers fell out of the first round and was selected by the Buccaneers in the second round. Bowers started six of 16 games as a rookie, posting 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Bowers suffered a torn Achilles last off-season and opened the 2012 season on the physically unable to perform list. Bowers came off the bench in 10 games, posting 13 tackles and three sacks, six tackles for a loss and seven hits on opposing quarterbacks.

According to sources Bowers signed a four-year, $3.858 million contract that included $2.229 million in guaranteed money as a rookie and is signed through 2014 at non-guaranteed base salaries of $725,512 in 2013 and $900,768 in 2014. Bowers remains a beloved figure in his hometown of Bamberg where he has given back to the community by way of sponsoring youth football camps, buying uniforms for the football team, sponsored a thanksgiving baskets giveaway to the community as a way of giving back to his hometown.