A Pennsylvania woman has pleaded guilty to smuggling heroin and cocaine into the US on a commercial flight from the Dominican Republic.
Natalia Alexander Duran, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of importation of a controlled substance – heroin and cocaine, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute – heroin and cocaine in federal court in Boston.
According to court records, Duran arrived at Logan International Airport on a flight from the Dominican Republic on May 30, 2017. Upon arrival, she was referred for a secondary baggage examination and subsequently admitted to having drugs concealed in her clothing.
41 pellets of suspected cocaine were removed from a bodysuit worn by Duran. Concerned that Duran may have ingested additional pellets of drugs, she was transported to a local hospital and given an x-ray, which revealed numerous pellets inside her abdominal area. While at the hospital, Duran excreted an additional 68 pellets.
A combined total of 109 pellets were recovered and tested and determined to be approximately 971 grams of cocaine and approximately 109 grams of heroin.
Duran faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $5 million.
Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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