Ex-TSA Officer Arrested in Alleged Attempt to Smuggle Meth at LAX

Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan 2,2022 (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

LOS ANGELES—A previous Transportation Security Administration officer was jailed Wednesday on a federal criminal problem declaring he smuggled what he thought was methamphetamine through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in exchange for $8,000.

Michael Williams, 39, of Hawthorne, is charged with one federal count of trying to disperse methamphetamine, and is anticipated to make his preliminary look in Los Angeles federal court Wednesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

If foundedguilty, Williams would face up to 20 years in federal jail, districtattorneys keptinmind.

According to an affidavit submitted with the grievance, authorities in 2020 performed undercover operations including Williams, whom they presumed of assisting smuggle narcotics past security checkpoints at LAX.

During the examination, Williams supposedly satisfied with a drug source to exchange methamphetamine in the days prior leading up to his shift at LAX, the file states.

As a TSA staffmember with unscreened gainaccessto to LAX, Williams concurred to provide what he idea was methamphetamine in a knapsack to the drug source’s accomplice in the males’s washroom on the protected side of the airport terminal, federal districtattorneys declare.

After taking ownership of what he thought was genuine narcotics, Williams supposedly transferred an unscreened bundle consistingof the phony methamphetamine beyond the TSA screening location and provided the bundle. The individual who accepted the plan, whom Williams did not understand was a federal representative, on both events exchanged $4,000 in money in the washroom stalls, districtattorneys declare.

Williams was observed on LAX’s security cams leaving the toilet while using his TSA uniform en path to start his shift screening travelers and travelluggage, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.