A stun gun-toting 23-year-old Greek man was arrested at JFK airport yesterday morning as he was about to board a flight to London. According to officials, Prodromos Vasilopoulos had used the stun gun the night before to subdue a 19-year-old former girlfriend in her Queens apartment before repeatedly raping and assaulting her. How he smuggled the gun, which was bought in London, past the TSA here is an open question (if you've never seen the incompetency of the TSA in action).
According to reports, on Tuesday night Vasilopoulous appeared at his ex's apartment building posing as a UPS deliveryman (shades of Peter Braunstein?). When his victim opened the door to her apartment the Athenian allegedly stunned her and then "allegedly beat and raped her for several hours — at one point smothering her with a pillow and forcing her to take 35 Advil."
After the incident, Vasilopoulous headed to JFK to catch an 8 a.m. Virgin Atlantic flight to London. He apparently worked his way through security with his stun gun in a Nike carry-on bag with no problems. Luckily, he had been reported by his victim and was arrested by police before he could board the plane.
Vasilopoulos was charged with predatory sexual assault, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, strangulation and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Further he was charged in a second complaint with second-degree aggravated harassment and second-degree harassment for having previously threatened to make his ex pay for ending their relationship.
As for the TSA? A spokesman says it "takes this incident seriously and will carefully review the details." Look, we know the TSA is now letting small knives aboard but between this stun gun and that fake bomb, the already absurd security theater of the TSA is getting ridiculous!
