A Dallas, Texas, flight attendant pleaded guilty to drug trafficking after being caught trying to fly from San Diego, California International Airport with a packet of fentanyl taped to her abdomen.
Terese L. White, 41, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in federal court and admitted that she used her privileges as a flight attendant to pass security checks and transport fentanyl, the Justice Department said in a statement.
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“Drug traffickers use the air, land and sea for their own benefit, endangering people's lives,” DEA Special Agent Shelly Howe said.
“We will continue the great work with our partners to bring traffickers to justice and keep our community safe.”
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White admitted in his guilty plea that on October 4, 2022, while off duty, he flew from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Texas) to San Diego International Airport (California).
Upon arrival, the woman left the secure area of the airport and, later that day, prior to her scheduled flight to Boston, Massachusetts,
attempted to circumvent normal security screening procedures by using the
known crew member queue.
.
But White was selected for a random screening process, and during the review, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents discovered that she
was carrying concealed packages taped to her abdomen, containing more than three pounds of fentanyl.
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As part of his guilty plea, White admitted that he tried to use his status as a flight attendant, a trusted position at airports, to traffic the drug.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2023 before U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo.
She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Fentanyl
is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine
, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the medical field, fentanyl is used to treat patients suffering from severe pain, such as those who have just undergone surgery.
The opioid first appeared in the spectrum of illicit drugs about 10 years ago and gained popularity because its white powder was similar to heroin but more accessible.
In 2021, it caused the vast majority of overdose deaths, according to the US National Center for Health Statistics.
