Flight attendant who ran away after dropping 70 pounds of cocaine at LA airport arrested in New York

Thomson Reuters

A JetBlue flight attendant will appear in federal court in New York on Thursday, six days after authorities say she dropped a bag containing almost 70 pounds (32 kg) of cocaine at Los Angeles International Airport, took off her shoes and ran away.

Marsha Reynolds, 31, of Queens, a New York borough, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

The JetBlue Airways Corp flight attendant was randomly selected for additional security screening on Friday evening at Los Angeles airport's Terminal 4. She had two carry-on bags and a large purse, according to authorities.

A Transportation Security Administration employee told an FBI agent that Reynolds made a phone call and spoke in a foreign language. After she was escorted to a screening area, she dropped her luggage, took off her shoes and sprinted out of the terminal.

The TSA worker did not pursue her in order to secure the luggage, which contained 11 packages of cocaine weighing a total of 68.5 pounds, according to court documents.

Reynolds surrendered to federal agents on Wednesday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

JetBlue representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Alan Crosby)

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