TSA Agent Alleged to Have Accepted Bribes, Smuggled Weed
Jennifer Billock October 20, 2015
A former TSA officer is facing jail time for allowing checked bags full of marijuana through security.
Thirty-three-year-old Deondre Smith from South Los Angeles is facing a maximum 20-year prison sentence for time he spent as Transportation Security Administration officer at Los Angeles International Airport in 2009 and 2010.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Smith accepted bribes of at least $500 to make sure pot-filled bags made it through security checkpoints. The bags were then sent to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina where they were distributed.
“Knowing that the luggage contained marijuana, Smith would temporarily take possession of the luggage from the other co-conspirators and either personally escort the luggage through LAX baggage screen checkpoints, or deliver the luggage to make sure the baggage containing marijuana passed through security,” FOX News reported Smith’s indictment said.
According to the indictment, this scenario occurred at least nine times with the help of co-conspirators in North Carolina who were convicted of federal drug charges when the conspiracy came to light.
“I expect all federal employees to meet the high standards of ethical behavior,” U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker told FOX News. “Any acceptance of bribes to influence official conduct will not be tolerated. It is particularly serious when the employee knowingly assisted in the commission of a serious criminal offense.”
Smith’s potential sentence breaks down to five years for the drug trafficking conspiracy and 15 years for bribery charges. Similar bribery schemes involving the TSA were reported in both 2012 and March 2015.
[Photo: iStock]
If that`s the weed he smuggled- who would want to smoke that crap?
“I expect all federal employees to meet the high standards of ethical behavior,” U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker told FOX News. “Any acceptance of bribes to influence official conduct will not be tolerated" Except, of course, when the bribery is legally condoned and called "lobbying."