TSA Screeners Allegedly Took Bribes To Let Drugs Pass Through Los Angeles Airport

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced criminal
charges against four security screeners who worked at Los Angeles
International Airport and were allegedly paid thousands of dollars in
bribes to look the other way while drug shipments slipped through
security checkpoints.

Two of the screeners were fired by the Transportation Security
Administration during the past two years, but two others were still on
the government payroll up to their arrest. All four were arrested within
the past day, according to prosecutors.

The screeners were indicted on Sunday along with three alleged drug
runners, who prosecutors said brought cocaine, methamphetamine and
marijuana through the checkpoints at LAX.

US Attorney in Los Angeles Andre Birotte Jr. announced the indictment
along with officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration and a
variety of state and local law enforcement.

The prosecutor said the screeners were paid bribes in the range of
$1,200 to $2,400 on five separate incidents from February to July 2011.
In one incident detailed on Wednesday, the screener was paid $600 to
arrange for a shipment of methamphetamine to pass through the checkpoint
and another $600 after the drugs made it through successfully.

Prosecutors said screener Naral Richardson coordinated the efforts.
He was fired from TSA in 2010. One of his colleagues who allegedly
waived some of the drugs through, Joy White, was fired last year.
Meanwhile, screeners John Whitfield and Capeline McKinney apparently
still worked for TSA. It was unclear whether any of them had attorneys
yet.

The screeners and alleged drug runners were all ages 23 to 30.