A man who sought to avoid paying the $2.25 fare a a Manhattan PATH station ended up with some serious prison time after he was caught carrying an illegal weapon.

37-year-old Ruben Sanabria was stopped by Port Authority officers last March after he jumped the 14th Street station's turnstile.

While looking him over, the officers noticed Sanabria was gesturing towards his waistband area and proceeded to search him.

They soon discovered Sanabria was packing a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson loaded with so-called "cop killer bullets."

Sanabria tried to make a run for it, but was quickly apprehended and arrested.

"This defendant illegally carried a loaded semi-automatic firearm into a public transportation system used by thousands of people every day," said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance. "The officers who apprehended him did so at great personal risk. 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."

Sanabria pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and was sentenced to seven years behind bars.

[photo via Port Authority]