JetBlue flight attendant charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute
The flight attendant who abandoned luggage containing roughly 70 pounds of cocaine at Los Angeles International Airport and ran from authorities last week was arrested in New York. Marsha Gay Reynolds, a flight attendant for JetBlue, was selected for a random security screening while passing through LAX on March 21st when she kicked off her heels and made a run for it, leaving behind her bags which contained 11 separate packages of cocaine totaling 68.49 pounds.
At the time of initial reports, it was unclear which airline the woman worked for or who she was, but she was able to evade TSA and remained at large for several days. Shockingly enough, Reynolds returned to work and boarded a JetBlue plane bound for New York, where she surrendered to Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Reynolds is currently charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. JetBlue is cooperating with the DEA and FBI’s investigation.
Airport and airline staff are not subject to the same security procedures as passengers. They only go through screenings at checkpoints when randomly selected, as Reynolds was last week. Reynolds’ escape was made easy as security officers stayed behind with her discarded bags, which they believed might have contained explosives.
A spokesman for Reynolds is claiming she may have been unaware of the contents of her luggage. However, as President of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association Marshall McClain pointed out, the fact that she was carrying roughly $2 million worth of cocaine makes it unlikely this is the first time Reynolds has exploited the lax security for airline staff. If convicted, Reynolds could face at least 10 years in prison.
