Antonella Maria Barba, Possessing with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Virginia 2018

Norfolk Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Possession

A New Jersey woman has pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl in Norfolk, Virginia.

According to court documents, Antonella Maria Barba, 32, of Point Pleasant, was parked in downtown Norfolk at approximately 11:05 p.m. on October 1, 2018, when she was approached by law enforcement. A drug dog handler screened Barba's rental vehicle and alerted on the vehicle. The canine officer searched Barba's rental vehicle and discovered a closed shoebox in plain view on the front passenger floorboard, which contained a large quantity of a white, rock-like substance.

Barba subsequently admitted she had landed at Washington-Dulles at around 4:00 p.m. on a flight from Los Angeles, and that she rented a car there and drove to Norfolk. The substance seized from Barba's rental car was submitted to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Savannah Laboratory for forensic analysis, where a forensic scientist determined the substance to be fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, with a total weight of 830.9 grams.

Barba faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison when she is sentenced on November 21, 2018. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, with assistance from the Chesapeake Police and the Portsmouth Police.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-158-2.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/woman-pleads-guilty-possessing-intent-distribute-fentanyl-0