According to the police, the 64-year-old actor tried to take a loaded .22 caliber pistol through airport security in his carry-on luggage on Sunday, but the weapon was discovered at a security checkpoint.

Farina, who appears in the Cameron Diaz-Ashton Kutcher romantic comedy What Happens in Vegas, told authorities that he had put the gun in his luggage in Arizona, but forgot to remove it when he arrived at Los Angeles Airport.

He was originally arrested on a misdemeanour charge of attempting to take a weapon onto a plane, airport Police Sgt. Jim Holcomb said, adding that after officers learned the gun was not registered, the charge was increased to a felony.

Farina was very apologetic and cooperative with officers, police said. He, however, had no apparent authority to carry a concealed weapon at the time of his arrest.

The FBI reportedly interviewed Farina but decided not to prosecute and just let the local authorities handle it.

He was released after posting USD 25,000 bail on Sunday night.

Farina played Detective Joe Fontana on NBC's long-running television series Law & Order from 2004 to 2006 as well as other roles in the TV series Miami Vice, In-Laws and Crime Story.

He has also starred in several films, including Snatch, Get Shorty and Saving Private Ryan.