Oakland baggage handler sentenced for marijuana smuggling
A former Southwest Airlines baggage handler has been handed a prison sentence for planning to smuggle large quantities of drugs onto planes at Oakland Airport.
Kenneth Wayne Fleming Jr., of Oakland, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after a pleading guilty last year.
He had been charged with three counts of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, entering an airport area in violation of security requirements, and conspiracy to launder money.
He admitted to the charges for offenses that took place in 2013 and 2014, while a baggage handler for Southwest Airlines.
On four separate occasions he used his security credentials to bypass screening and to smuggle marijuana airside which was then passed on to outbound passengers who had already gone through TSA security, the Department of Justice said.
Fleming was one of a group of more than a dozen airport workers conspiring in a larger scheme to smuggle more than 100 kilos of marijuana into secure airport areas.
So far 10 of these airport employees have been sentenced.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements