CHRISTIANSTED — A Florida woman admitted to bringing 24 pounds of marijuana in her checked luggage to St. Croix.
Cynthia Ines Fernandes, 33, of St. Augustine, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
Fernandes faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Fernandes traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina to St. Croix on a commercial flight on November 6, 2021.
In her checked bags, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents discovered 13 individually wrapped, vacuum sealed packages with approximately 11 kilograms of marijuana.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz.