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Baggage handler for Southwest Airlines smuggled cocaine on hundreds of flights
The Houston Chronicle is reporting that a Southwest Airlines employee has been smuggling cocaine onto flights between Houston and Baltimore.The employee, Carthon Lee Merrick, who lives in the greater Houston area, is a baggage handler for the airline.
According to a federal indictment, he's being charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute.
The indictment says that since 2001 Merrick has used his Southwest airlines flying privileges to make 388 smuggling trips between the two cities. He was finally nabbed earlier this year coming off a flight in Houston, where authorities found him in possession of $79,122 in cash.
He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and could get life in prison.
Southwest Airlines isn't commenting.
What other strange things have been found on planes?
Filed under: Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
Corrinne Oct 6th 2008 12:39PM
Hans,
I love you, will you marry me? lol jk! It's completely true. I've seen murderers and child molesters get less time the people with drug offenses. Contraty to popular belief, most of the dealers aren't pushing it on kids or sober people. I know from experience of selling drugs, I am not proud to say. People flock to you. You don't need to go looking for customers.
I don't condone selling drugs, but we have actual CRIMINALS that need to be taken care of. And for the record I have been clean and sober for two years and have made a successful life for myself. I am lucky I didn't listen to idiots like Calvin, or I would still be using.
Feisgirl Oct 6th 2008 12:47PM
Most (not all) people in the baggage handling and food service at the airports are ex-cons. Don't believe me? Go ask around. I don't know why the airlines consistently hire people with criminal records for those positions. You'd be surprised what goes on.
m3 Oct 8th 2008 1:45PM
since all airline employees are required to pass a 10 year, federally mandated, criminal background check, your theory is a tad flawed.
naya Oct 6th 2008 1:10PM
Tarzan. What does his race have to do with anything? I get so tired of people and hmmm he was this. Then say negative crap about people because of their race. You think african americans are the only ones who do illegal activities. Please. Look around moron. I can assure you that if you were to go to a jail you would see people of all races, backgrounds and cultures together. It is people like you that keeps the hate going.
Corrinne Oct 6th 2008 12:52PM
Also, the majority of people selling drugs DO use drugs. There are those cases of the multi millionaire drug lords, but they are not the majority of drug sellers.
Corrinne Oct 6th 2008 12:58PM
I've known at least 50 people that have sold drugs and they were all users. I used to sell drugs and it's not something I am proud of, but I do know about this. You can also get VERY lengthy sentences for POSESSION and "intent to distribute". And the amount necessary for "intent to distribute" is not that much. I used more than that in a day when I was still using.
I didn't say they got convicted of USING. They go back to prison because they relapse because they can't get treatment. They get convicted of sales or possession. My husband got 10 years for selling one gram of cocaine, which he sold to support his OWN habit.
I hate to tell you, but you should learn more about people before you say stupid things like that. I do know because I was one of them. And everyone in prison with my husband that was in there for sales was an addict themselves.
CHUCKJ Oct 6th 2008 1:00PM
WHY ISNT ANYBODY TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE MEXICANS SMUGGLING DRUGS,WEAPONS,PEOPLE OVER HERE WHY ISNT THE GOVERNMENT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THEM
edscout Oct 6th 2008 1:00PM
These Folks that look at Drug, and Alcohol abuse as a disease make Me laugh.. My Parent was a hard core Alcoholic. I have had Family Members that were hooked on Drugs. I became an Abuse Counselor for 10 Years. I can tell You that although it IS a disease; It is caused by a choice to partake in abusing a substance (at first). If these People did not willingly abuse Drugs, or Alcohol in the first place; They would not be this way. Now You can get Social Security benefits for this problem. When will it all end?. Such stupidity.
Corrinne Oct 6th 2008 2:01PM
I agree that it is up to the person to get help. My argument is that we send them to jail instead of treatment. Not EVERYONE with drug offenses need treatment, but a majority of them do...
It's just that much harder to get sober when you're made to believe you're worthless
benny Oct 6th 2008 1:24PM
damn...why wasn't i on any of those flights? coulda saved me a lot of time trying to find a proper dealer. he was right under my nose!
jaqteshn Oct 6th 2008 1:32PM
The war on drugs is equivalent to picking the scales off a giant Dragon, starting at the bottom, in an attempt to kill it while the head is constantly spewing fire and simultaneously regenerating scales. Useless.
Margaret Oct 6th 2008 1:45PM
Apart from the dergotary racial remarks being bandied about on this board.......Mmmmmm!
I have a question.....?????
Where in the love of the English/American language did the word SNUK come from........
other 'intelligent' options.....
Sneaked on board (SNUK) in not a derivitive of sneaked!!!!!
Secreted on Board
Took on board
etc etc......
I truly hate to see our language being bastardized in this manner!
lucky Oct 6th 2008 2:02PM
I hope he gets a long jail sentence. I also hope southwest airlines is held accountable for allowing its employee to get away with smuggling drugs on its flights. How could this happen with all the extra security in place?
Richie Oct 6th 2008 2:06PM
I think the bigger problem here is that they took him 388 tries too catch him or allowed him too go that long. Black, White, Hispanice or whatever.