Two Atlanta women were sentenced in federal court for smuggling more than 14 kilograms of marijuana into the U.S. Virgin Islands, authorities confirmed. Noelle Bishopel, 27, and Sierra Wimberly, 26, both of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute after a routine airport screening exposed their illicit cargo at Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez handed down the sentences on December 8, 2016. Wimberly received two months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, 300 hours of community service, and a $100 special assessment. Bishopel was hit harder—four months behind bars, the same terms of supervised release and community service, plus the mandatory $100 fee.
The bust unfolded on April 6, 2016, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers flagged suspicious luggage belonging to the women. They had just landed on a Delta Airlines flight from Atlanta. During secondary inspection, agents seized approximately 4.9 kilograms of marijuana from Wimberly’s checked bag and a staggering 9.45 kilograms from Bishopel’s—nearly 33 pounds total.
Court records show the marijuana was densely packed and concealed, suggesting deliberate effort to evade detection. The sheer volume of the haul points to distribution-level trafficking, not personal use. Federal prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of moving bulk narcotics through a Caribbean airport with known smuggling routes.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a lead agency in cross-border drug interdiction. Assistant United States Attorney Everard Potter prosecuted, ensuring the women faced full federal consequences despite the non-violent nature of the crime.
This conviction underscores the federal government’s continued crackdown on drug trafficking through U.S. territories. For Bishopel and Wimberly, a trip from Atlanta turned into a prison sentence—proof that even a single flight with the wrong baggage can land you behind bars in the eyes of federal law.
Related Federal Cases
- Elijah Hakim Charged in Fentanyl Mail Scheme to St. Thomas · Puerto Rico
- Georgia Man Cuffed for Smuggling 8.5kg of Weed to USVI · U.S. Virgin Islands
- Elijah Hakim, 34, Charged in Fentanyl Mail Scheme · Puerto Rico
- Tolomah Foy Arrested in St. Thomas for Crack Distribution · U.S. Virgin Islands
- LA Woman Busted with 6 Kilos of Weed in the Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands
Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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