A JetBlue flight attendant accused of trying to sneak a suitcase full of cocaine through Los Angeles International Airport and making a dramatic dash to escape says she might not have been sure what was in her bag, a spokesman for her said Thursday as prosecutors suggested she had smuggled before.
Marsha Gay Reynolds, a former Jamaican beauty queen and college track athlete, turned herself in Wednesday to face a federal drug charge.
Authorities said they found 70 pounds of cocaine in her luggage at LAX on March 18 after she was flagged for a random security screening, flung off her high heels and bolted barefoot down an upward-moving escalator. They said she ran out of the terminal and crossed the country to New York.
Read: Former Miss Jamaica runner-up accused of cocaine smuggling
Reynolds’ spokesman Allan Jennings, representing her family and her defense lawyer, said, “She may not have been fully aware of what was in the bags”.
But Assistant US Attorney Alicia Washington told a court that last week was “not the only time the defendant has engaged in this conduct”. Washington didn’t elaborate, and Jennings said he was surprised by the claim.
A US magistrate judge set bail for Reynolds at $500,000 and then warned her parents and two friends from her church they could lose their homes if she flees. He gave prosecutors a day to appeal before Reynolds can be freed.
Reynolds, a 31-year-old Jamaican-born US citizen, graduated from New York University and ran track there. She was a runner-up in the Miss Jamaica World 2008 pageant, which sends the country’s representative to Miss World contests.
Leaders of the Jamaica pageant were “shocked and surprised” at news of Reynolds’ arrest, said organizer Laura Butler, who doesn’t know Reynolds. She said Reynolds apparently had travelled to Jamaica to compete while living in New York, as the contest allows for women of Jamaican heritage living elsewhere.
Reynolds arrived last week at a security checkpoint in LAX’s Terminal 4 wearing jeans, heels and a black suit jacket and carrying her known crew member badge, an FBI agent’s sworn statement said. She was off duty at the time.
Asked to step aside for a random check, Reynolds nervously looked around and made a cellphone call as she was led to a screening area, the statement said. When a Transportation Security Administration officer asked her for identification, she dropped her bag, ditched her Gucci shoes and took off, an affidavit said. A TSA officer said he didn’t pursue her because his primary concern was her abandoned luggage.
In it was just over 68 pounds of cocaine, worth as much as $3 million on the streets of Los Angeles, authorities said.
JetBlue Airways Corp, which suspended Reynolds, said it was cooperating with the investigation.
Prosecutors said Reynolds “took advantage of her position as a crew member” and “abused the trust” she had. If convicted, Reynolds could face at least 10 years in prison, prosecutors said.
The TSA has been concerned about security threats from insiders, including airline and airport employees, particularly after several baggage handlers were arrested in December 2014 on charges of smuggling guns from Atlanta to New York.
The TSA has said it would be too expensive to screen all employees fully. Instead, it has urged airports to increase random screenings of workers and to keep background checks up to date.
So if she had no knowing of it why she made a call and took off? Yea right bihhhh…….when will y’all learn
I second your opinion.
The suitcases weren’t up on a counter open, they were close when she hauled ass.
She can use the not knowing defense if they had taken the TWO suitcases and open them to reveil what’s inside; NOT while they were still close, in her possession and being carried by her during her effort to escape! The state will then ask “why did you run if you didn’t know drugs were in your bags?”
I now strongly believe it was a regular thing fi har to do base on this bulls!@t defense and for that prosecutor going to go hard. She
Honestly sad. Why drugs ? She went to NYU and this is where she ended up, smh very sad.
LAUGHABLE. Get ready for a loonnngggg vacation at Club Feds.
Wish mi coulda get NYU education..no way in hell mi woulda jeopardize dat
Yeah right Marsha! Dat’s like saying a never yu teef de cookie from de cookie jar, when you were caught wid yu hand in it!
Yea right …i knew they would come up with something like that.
The love of money is the root of all evil.
She didn’t know? So why she flee? Is not like a Jamaica she a guh and smaddy gi har bush and pretty dan dan fi dem family. I’m going to call bullcrap in dis one.
That mean whoever she get it from better go hide because she a tell them how she came about that suitcase since she don’t know what in it so who give it to you miss.
With her being caught with such a large amount, if she gets convicted she may end up dying in prison. Americans don’t ramp with drugs. Stupid girl.
I know Marsha very well, it’s so sad to see you go.. Might as well me seh RIP cuz a life sentence that.. She has a great personality very nice girl .. but if not now then tomorrow ! She has been doing this for years now and she been working at jet blue for years so just imagine. She always date hustlers ALWAYS ! That’s how I knew her through a big time man and it was so funny that he wanted to put me on to JetBlue flight attending because at the time I was dating him .. But I quickly went in another direction .. I could’ve been smuggling shit too .. Damn Marsha u shoulda know when enough is enough !
Good luck girl u def need it.
Good Morning Met,Metters,Peepers nd Others…….
Ye! Just like how she don’t know why she and how she end up in New York to make sure she hands over her dog and other valuable stuff to smaddy she full trust only to see herself on de news running for nothing,a true man she knows not
…But Assistant US Attorney Alicia Washington told a court that last week was “not the only time the defendant has engaged in this conduct”. Washington didn’t elaborate,….
The statement says it all. The fact that US Attorney made this statement, tell you that they were tipped off about her activities and this was no random screening. They don’t want to say anything more at this point until they have all the other players in custody. BTW, there are other JetBlue Flight Attendants who were doing the same thing. Wouldn’t be surprise if it wasn’t one of her cohorts who rollover on her because they weren’t getting their fair share. If I was her, I would stay behind bars. It is much safer for her than being back on the street.
I was thinking the same too…..probably been watching her for awhile till they could catch her red handed.
FActsssssss.. keep me behind bars. So now she involves her parents and two church friends??HUH .. Bish wha? What part of the game is dat.
Fuk dat!! she gotta figure it out. What if they kill her knowing she gonna talk. I didnt read anything about protective custody. SMH.
Girl u willing for these savages to run in on your fam. Keep ur family and bizness completely separated.
stupid,insecure, neva loved chick!!
Yep! i b-lev smaddy tip them of and they been watching ever since..gudly one her fren dem too
If someone snitched on her this would have played out much differently. Firstly, she could not have escaped. Secondly, she was not immediately identified and was able to board another flight back to New York. She was not captured. She turned herself in days later. This was a random screening and now this bad gyal gonna pay dearly. Thanks to her the internet has been unkind to Jamaicans and black people. Someone commented on the NY Post site that black lives matter. Another person Trump for president and if Trump wins he is moving the US…..sighh
a little inside suss she didn’t know she taught it was money bz a her thing that so when they suggest the check she made a call to Mr.man and man say usain bolt it so a so the race start
Bullshit!!! Do you think this girl is a idiot? She is extremely smart/cunning. If you are transporting anything for anyone, wouldn’t you look at the contents before accepting it? Everyone is ask if they pack their luggage and a Flight Attendant would know better.
She knows exactly what was in those two suitcases. Money goes the other direction, NY to LA and drugs from LA to NY. Makes sense?
:thanks2 :rate
Boy mi a tell u as a parents all u have to do is pray fi u kids dem eno because no matter how much u try and lead them in the right path and provide fi dem something always come mess it up. Mi feel a way fi har parents dem still God kno.
Sad sad sad… Another wasted life
I thought u couldn’t use your cell phone in that area.
Her defence does not stand a chance if her search was not random. So that DA’s tacit statement might just be her death knell.
Get de f**k outta here bout
Little suss she never know
She tink ah money.
She know exactly what it was
An feel like she exempt of an
Search an coulda guh tru.
An shock when asked fe a random
Search an take flight cause
She f**kin know bout Mr never
Tell har.
Fall back did dat dumb as comment mi use to be a runner
An have people ah run fe mi as well.
An dem know exactly what dem concealing is a chance dem taking.
An she know it is a chance an inna 2016 its nearly impossible
Fe smuggle all when yuh ah flight attendant.
She shoulda know betta not rejocing but she make a bad descion 70 pounds of uncut coke
Man ah dead she ago dead inna federal star.
Life dat
All I can say is she better come correct with her story/lie.Don’t feel like you can play with uncle Sam brain with her foolishness.They don’t play that and can see right thru you.
They gonna dig up your life from top to bottom.All journey purchases flight logs bank account western union phone,you name it.
This is a federal case so no stone will be unturned.
With all this terrorist and Isis thing going on,uncle Sam trying hard to keep up with infiltrate and find out who is who..you mean to say somebody could have given you a bomb in a bag and you would a run and claim you never know????Girl plse
So you mean somebody could have given you a bomb in a bag and you using your security clearance to move around said bag not knowing what in it ??..Really
Don’t even go there.Don’t even try insult the Feds with that bs.They along with we the people not buying it.Better you just own up to it and face the music instead of making it even more har for yourself.
mi seh
She is going to be squealing on folks and I can imagine that a few folks have already gone into hiding. Afterall, that is not her cocaine and the Feds will want to know the frequency of the shipments and to whom for whom…
Bloodclaaaat she f**k up harself
Lool they gonna check the phone record that’s the first thing they gonna go after base on the fact that she was constantly on the phone…..I hope it was a tract phone and that person been chilling in Cuba.
plus the social media weh she feel she lock down
Stupid defence. They are going to throw the book at her, it’s going to be harsh She abused her trust. Not sorry for her. In this day and age, you trying that shit. Greed and hype all for the GRAM!
This shows you no matter how much education and potential you have in life you must not mixup in bad company.
Feds really don’t want Marsha and moreover she’s only 32 and this crime carries a sentence of 10 years
She will be 42 and I’m sure she’s going to get a lesser sentence
She’s actually a very nice person who just made a bad decision
There are plenty others out there doing worse
The anonymous blogger that said Marsha has been doing this for years..yuh did really haffi mention dat? Not saying anything wrong with the rest of info but don’t have to dash that out suh. Damn.
You cant be serious. Wayyyyy more information a go dash out inna court..hopefully her trial will be televised and Nancy Grace and Anderson Cooper will cover it nightly.
but the DA said the same thing are you not reading or keeping up?!?!?!
Amen!! Preach.
Shoulda a just took the bus to rass lol
What I dont understand is how these ppl do these jobs and their everyday living dnt matchup? How u fi work as a flight attendant n a wear Gucci shoes n bag n do u p body n all ppl please regular ppl no have money fi do dem somen de so d same co workers good all did a watch her. At my work place (Telecommunication Co) dis lady do the same exact work as us n every 2 years she change her car fr X6 to Mercedez n d list goes on n she live ina 1 rich area keep in mind this lady is also part time only fi find out she n her husband a deal in a ashish if a so it spell – so if unu a do dem somen ya no be greedy know when fi come out
Bwoi o bwoi i feel so sorry for her and her parents. I tend to beleive though that this was not her 1st time, it may have been her largest schlep but not her 1st. Another Jamaican will set a precedent they’re seriously considering having all employees fully screened now. The woman had everything going for her – or so it seemed – looks, education, a job that allowed her travel etc and she gambled her freedom away. beats the heck out o’ me
DON’T THINK THE FED IS NOT READING THE COMMENTS ON THIS WALL/ SHE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS HER LUCK JUST RUN OUT/SHE TOO GREEDY/ YOUR DAY OFF YOU TRAFFICKING DRUGS/ SEE THE OLD FRAT SHE DOING IT FOR/ HIM MUST TELL HER HOW MUCH HE LOVE HER. NO MAN IN THIS WORLD CAN MAKE ME DO THAT SHIT/ ME LOVE FREEDOM TOO MUCH. A DRUG DEALER TOLD ME ONCE IF A MAN MAKE YOU CARRY HIM DRUGS FROM STATE TO STATE HIM DON’T LOVE YOU, YOU ARE JUST A MULE.
She braver dan wonder woman to rass…good day metty an folks…she a look pan 1 longggggg stretch inna prison deal or no deal….texas nuh play wid ppl….
The media has a way of twisting things so I will wait for her side then say something…no way she could have ran to get another flight…i dont think she ran away and left the bag and caught another flight in the same airport…land and go bout her business..Im waiting for the story
…and beside the ease of buying a ticket at the airport, they were not chasing her. People run thru airport often enough to catch connecting flights. LAX is a massive airport, easy to catch next departing flight to another city, then catch another to where u want to go. All u need is money.
She was really a mis Jamaica runner up because how she flung off her high heels and bolted barefoot down an upward-moving escalator not even usain.
Met said… “i dont think she ran away and left the bag and caught another flight in the same airport…land and go bout her business..Im waiting for the story -” you don’t have to wait, I can tell you, if she have her pocketboot or even in her pocket, state id, and her creditcard she can go to another terminal and buy a ticket.or even the same terminal but at another kiosk and buy a seat. You don’t need to check on anything. ive done it before.
I do not think u understand what I am saying, or attempted to understand. I am waiting to hear her side, nothing is wrong with that, its my wait …no bargain there
You said and I quote “no way she could have ran to get another flight…i dont think she ran away and left the bag and caught another flight in the same airport…land and go bout her business.. if you don’t mean what you say, don’t write it…you should just leave it at “The media has a way of twisting things so I will wait for her side then say something ..’ which is valid and understandable, i was just pointing out the invalid part of your otherwise ok statement. i live in Ft.lauderdale and fly to ATL and NY on weekend sometime on just a whim, deciding on the same day that i leave.
Mi neva know you can determine what I should/could write? I never asked for validation/explanation and I really dont want to be rude , I will wait until I hear what she says because ( I ) feel there is something missing here. Thank you for taking the time to explain what ( YOU ) do in your travels, and as I asked you previously, please leave ( Me ) to my wait.
Met, I don’t honestly know how Jedi Rasta could actually find issue with your statement. They know who she was, so it is true, say she managed to get away and sneak onto a flight to NY, how is it that they weren’t at the airport waiting for her?
Unless flight attendants can sneak onto flights without being properly being added to a flight’s manifest.
Unless law enforcement is that incompetent.
That is the big big question and reason mi seh mi a wait fi di rest a di story..
:siul :ngakak
NEVER EVER A DULL DAY ON THIS WALL. It peppery :ngakak :ngakak :ngakak
:maho
I’m ova here deading..What a way (DEM) hot fi (YOU) today eh man….
U know u bad :ngakak u bracket it off nicely like whey mi did haffi do………….di person mussy think mi a seh di girl innocent…….something missing fi me
Of course, a lot of things are not adding up.
From what I’ve read met they said she went on a flight the day after and because they didnt have any info on her but only that she was a flight attendant, they are assuming she was working on the flight back to NY as disguise. They said that even though she scanned her badge there’s no way for them to back up the information or to get it back its just stored in the system that’s about as far as her scanning her badge went .. The airport security didn’t know who she was it was the Feds who found out her info.
Facial recognition software along with her prints. No one in this day and age better not mess around in U.S. airports and think they are safe.
I think their plan was really stupid they need to go back to the drawing board before them execute it lmao cuz that was an epic failure .. I’m just wondering if she felt so untouchable that she wasn’t ALERT .. As in there was no way for her to at least realize a funny business a gwan ? And pretend to have left something in her cab or home just to turn back? Like what was the back up plan tho
So if she catch a flight same time and leave them no wonder bout her having no shoes
A wonder if Mr. Big Buddy going to help har wid har lawyer fee? 😀 😀 😀 A hope him nuh back out now cuz a just circumstances why him never get him full delivery of merchandise. 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 Think with your brain and not your pum. Argument closed.
Wicked aka Marsha and her man finally got busted. It stink ah Queens
yuh see how unno really mix-up
A which wicked dat dem a talk? The person on here ? Or them a call Marsha wicked confused much
If they have been watching her, they would know exactly who she is, so they allowed her to catch another flight while monitoring her phone and her home to see if the owner of the package would ever show up .
Oh please come on people. This is a big international airport. Cameras every where. They weren’t worried about her. If she ran stayed made no difference they would pick her up same way.