28 airport workers arrested in Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Authorities arrested 28 workers at Bush Intercontinental Airport on charges of violating federal law in obtaining security badges, the U.S. attorney's office announced.

The 28 workers are among 143 airport workers indicted on those charges in August and early September. Arrest warrants have been issued for those not taken into custody on Monday, the attorney's office said.

Ten of those arrested Monday are charged with two felony counts of fraudulent use of a Social Security number and of lying to a federal agency. They had applied for and obtained blue or gray airport security badges, which allow the wearer to access secure areas of the airport, including ramps, gates, the tarmac, and in and around airplanes.

The other 18 people arrested obtained white security badges, which allow access to secured areas if accompanied by someone wearing a blue badge, the attorney's office said. Those people were charged with the misdemeanor offense of possessing fraudulent identification purporting to be U.S. documents.

In all, 51 people obtained the blue or gray badges, and 92 obtained the white ones, the attorney's office said.

Fraudulent use of a Social Security number -- either using one belonging to someone else, or using one that is invalid -- carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Possessing fraudulent identification that purports to be a U.S. document is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.