Dennis Farina of ‘Law and Order’ booked on weapons charge

“Law and Order” star Dennis Farina has been arrested and booked on a felony charge after screeners at Los Angeles International Airport found a loaded handgun in a briefcase he tried to take aboard a flight to Chicago.

Police said the 64-year-old actor, a former Chicago police officer, told them he forgot had placed the .22-caliber semi-automatic in the case.

Farina was originally arrested this morning on a misdemeanor charge for attempting to take a weapon onto a plane, said LAX police Sgt. Jim Holcomb. After officers learned that Farina had not registered the gun, the charge was increased to a felony, Holcomb said.

“He was apologetic and very cooperative and he said he understood what was going to happen,” the sergeant added.

Farina was booked into a Van Nuys jail. His bail has been set at $25,000.

Holcomb said Farina told investigators he put the gun in the case before driving here from Arizona for the United Airlines flight to Chicago.

The veteran actor has starred in several feature films, including “Get Shorty” and “Saving Private Ryan.” He served with the Chicago Police Department 19 years.

jp.renaud@latimes.com