Text Messages from Son of Former LAFD Chief Help Uncover LAX Pot Smuggling Ring
After Sunday's arrest of Millage Jonathan Peaks, son of former Los Angeles Fire Chief Millage Peaks, at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), officials released text messages between Peaks and Dianna Perez, the TSA officer who was also arrested. Peaks, 23, was detained on charges that he allegedly bribed Perez to help him smuggle approximately 14 pounds of marijuana on nine separate flights. Both suspects were arrested on Sunday while Peaks tried to board an American Airlines flight from LAX to Boston.
Peaks told the FBI that he and his associates smuggled pot with the aid of a TSA officer, whom they bribed. The officer received nearly $6,000 in bribes to avoid detection. Sunday marked Peaks' most recent bribery and smuggling attempt, and after a baggage handler got a whiff of weed from Peaks' luggage, he alerted authorities. They discovered 14 pounds of pot in Peak's luggage.
Both suspects' cellphones were turned over to the FBI, who found a number of text messages sent from Peaks to Perez. On October 7 he texted Perez, "He made it coo. Thanx soo much. U have no clue how clutch u r. Without u none of this would b possible….Ill have ur 700 Monday maybe earlier,” reports L.A. Now. In another text message dated September 30, Peaks wrote, "500$ tom night. Good looks.”
During interviews with authorities, Peaks offered a detailed account of the smuggling system that he and Perez devised. On Sunday, he handed Perez two pieces of checked luggage, which she took to a TSA screening room. Three minutes later she returned and waved, a sign that "everything is good," said Peaks. He also told authorities that Perez schooled him in packing his bags to avoid detection.
Both suspects were due in federal court on Monday.
