Cynthia Ines Fernandes, 33, of Florida, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, according to U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith. Fernandes faces a maximum of five years in prison.
According to court documents, Fernandes traveled from Charlotte, N.C., to St. Croix on a commercial flight on Nov. 6, 2021. Customs and Border Protection agents discovered 13 individually wrapped, vacuum-sealed packages with approximately 11 kilograms of marijuana in her checked bags, according to court documents.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz.
