April 23, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Ex-TSA Screener Gets 70 Months in Prison for Drug Conspiracy

Conspiracy
A TSA agent was sentenced to 70 months in prison on May 5 for taking bribes to pass cocaine through security. (Thinkstock)

A former Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer was sentenced on May 5 to nearly six years in federal prison for taking bribes to let kilograms of cocaine to pass through her screening station at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Joy White, 29, of Compton pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to aid in the possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute the drug.

She was among seven people – including two former and two then-current TSA screeners – indicted in April 2012 in the scheme to smuggle drugs through airport X-ray checkpoints and onto airplanes bound for North Carolina and elsewhere.

In issuing the 70-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Morrow said White’s role was “at the heart of the offense,” making her culpability “more serious than others in the case.”

Defense attorney Joel Thvedt argued for a three-year term, telling the judge that his client suffered from postpartum depression and “desperate” financial hardship at the time of the crimes.

White, a mother of two, sobbed as she asked Morrow for “leniency,” adding that her participation in the scheme “was very stupid.”

The judge was not swayed.

“She abused her position of trust as a TSA screener,” Morrow said. “She had no limits on the amount or type of drugs or how often.”

The indictment outlined five specific incidents in which then-current and former TSA employees took payments of as much as $2,400 to allow suitcases filled with drugs to pass through X-ray machines while screeners looked the other way.

Three other defendants have been sentenced to prison terms between 18 and 90 months, and three are awaiting sentencing.

Related Posts

Skip Traffic, Relax, Catch a Vibe: Midweek Sunset Party Lands on the Westside

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

DJ Jason Bentley, Mocktails, Games, Food Trucks, Light Up Fox Hills Commuters looking to escape rush hour gridlock on Thursday,...

Representative Brad Sherman in Person at CSUN Town Hall This Weekend

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Constituents of California’s 32nd District Invited to an In-Person Q&A Session U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman will hold an in-person town...

(Video) A Myriad of Ways to Unlock Your Beauty Offered at Mirror Mirror Med Spa

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

For More Info, Go To Mirrormedspa.com For More Info, Go To https://t.co/1DP3ZKbfDt pic.twitter.com/OVvHuTjETC — CCNewsLA (@CCWNNews) April 23, 2025

New York Film Academy in Los Angeles Offers Summer Camps, Programs

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

New York Film Academy in Los Angeles is hosting several summer camps for teenagers and kids, providing practical training in...

Cinespia Returns to Hollywood Forever With Cult Classics and a David Lynch Tribute

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Becomes a Moviegoer’s Paradise Once Again Cinespia, Los Angeles’ beloved outdoor cinema series, will return to Hollywood...

Major I-405 Rehab Project Unveiled: Caltrans to Host Virtual Info Meeting

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Sepulveda Pass Overhaul: New Pavement, Safer Roads, Better Commutes The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will hold a virtual informational...

San Fernando Valley Man Gets 5 Years for Beverly Hills Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Federal Prison for ID Thief Who Raided Beverly Hills Mailboxes for Millions A North Hills man was sentenced Monday to...

Academy Announces Major Changes for 98th Oscars, Including AI Rules and New Casting Award

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Academy Now Requires Viewing All Nominees to Cast Final Ballots The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled...

Pepper Spray and Panic: LA Homeowners Targeted in Nighttime Burglaries

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

LAPD Hunts Suspects After One Resident Attacked in Beverly Grove Two separate home invasions late Friday night in Beverly Grove...

“We’re Better Than This”: Tour Business Owner Pleads for Protection After Third Burglary

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Thieves hit Again, Stealing E-Bikes and Leaving a Wake of Damage in South La Cienega The frustrated owner of a...

Lawsuits Allege Insurance Giants Conspired to Undercut California Fire Victims

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Two Lawsuits Accuse Top Carriers of Price-Fixing and Violating Antitrust Laws Attorneys representing homeowners impacted by California’s January wildfires have...

Cali Camp Welcomes Los Angeles Campers

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

By Susan Payne Roam streams, meadows and oak trees in the heart of rock-lined Topanga Canyon this summer at Cali...

Mayor Karen Bass’ Budget Plan Proposes 1,647 Layoffs Amid $300M Liability Surge

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Civilian LAPD Staff, Transportation, and Sanitation Departments Among Hardest Hit Mayor Karen Bass’ proposed city budget for the upcoming fiscal...

Santa Monica PD Makes Arrest in Ocean Front Walk Stabbing; Second Suspect Sought

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Late-Night Stabbing in Santa Monica Prompts Manhunt After a shocking incident of violence in Santa Monica, a man has been...

Unlock the Secrets of Impressionism and Ancient Thrace with Getty’s Free Talks

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

The Getty’s Lineup of Free Online Art Talks Opens Doors for Global Audiences. The Getty Center will host a series...