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Flight Attendant Who Ditched 70 Pounds Of Cocaine At LAX Has Been Arrested, Police Say
Close to 70 pounds of cocaine seized at LAX (Photo courtesy of LAPD)
A flight attendant who tried to smuggle a huge stash of cocaine through LAX, but ditched the drugs and her shoes when she was spooked at security, surrendered to authorities in New York today. Marsha Gay Reynolds, who was a flight attendant for Jet Blue, surrendered to DEA agents at JFK airport on Wednesday afternoon, according to the L.A. Times. Last Friday, Reynolds allegedly attempted to casually make her way onto a New York-bound flight at Terminal 4 in LAX. But when she was randomly selected for a security screening, she quickly made a nervous phone call in a foreign language, according to a criminal complaint filed by authorities. She then kicked off her Gucci heels and took off, running the wrong way up an escalator and out of the airport, leaving behind a carry-on bag full of nearly 70 pounds of cocaine.
While authorities are not yet sure how Reynolds was able to flee, she somehow made her way to New York, where she was arrested.
Marshall McClain, president of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Assn., told the Times that the incident highlights the need to post an airport police officer at all security checkpoints, which has been done in the past. He also doesn't think this was Reynolds' first rodeo.
“I don't believe anybody would trust a mule with that amount of dope the first time out,” he told the Times. “You're talking about $2 million worth of cocaine...That's pretty troubling. This is more than likely not her first time doing this.”
Reynolds was charged today in federal court in New York City with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, according to City News Service. She will eventually be brought back to Los Angeles.
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