An admitted drug courier pled guilty to federal conspiracy charges stemming from a plot to bribe ex-Transportation Security Administration agents at Los Angeles International Airport to help smuggle marijuana onto a flight.
Charles “Smoke” Hicks, 24, of Culver City faces up to five years in prison at his Nov. 19 sentencing hearing in Los Angeles federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In court papers, Hicks and co-defendant Andrew “Drew” Welter conceded working with Millage Peaks IV, son of a retired Los Angeles city fire chief, who allegedly promised to pay $500 for each marijuana filled suitcase that cleared security at LAX.
Peaks, 24, and former TSA officers Randy Littlefield, 29, of Paramount, and Dianna Perez, 28, of Inglewood, are expected to make their initial federal court appearances Wednesday.
The three have agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges in the case, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors contend that between November 2010 and last October, Perez helped the smugglers avoid airport security by showing them how to circumvent TSA alarms.
The marijuana was being flown from Los Angeles to Boston, court papers show.
Welter, 25, of Fontana agreed to plead guilty to a bribery charge, but a date has not yet been set for his plea hearing.
