The MTA has been losing money to fare-jumping, and in the latest case of it, a man has been sentenced to seven years in prison. (Photo: Creative Commons)

A man was sentenced to seven years in prison over $2 on Monday after police stopped him for fare-jumping and discovered that he had a handgun on him last year, according to the New York Post.

Ruben Sanabria, 37, was caught with a loaded .40-caliber Smith & Wesson at the 14th Street PATH station on March 30 after jumping over a subway turnstile and not paying the $2.25 fare. Police caught Sanabria with not only the handgun, but also extra bullets and a holster.

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Sanabria pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, which has a maximum sentence up to 15 years. However, he was sentenced to just seven years in prison.

"This defendant illegally carried a loaded semiautomatic firearm into a public transportation system used by thousands of people every day," said Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. "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."

Last year, the MTA estimated that it's losing up to $100 million each year from people fare-jumping, according to Transportation Nation. Former MTA chairman Joe Lhota worked with NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly to step up police patrols, using uniform and undercover officers, to find people fare-jumping.