Man sentenced for trying to smuggle 20 pounds of cocaine through Charlotte airport

CHARLOTTE ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — A California drug courier has been sentenced to a little over 7 years in prison for attempting to smuggle 20 pounds of cocaine through the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.

According to court documents and proceedings, on July 27, 2021, police conducting routine operations at the CLT airport questioned Carlos Fernandez, 33, for suspected drug trafficking, after a drug-detecting dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in his suitcase.

Fernandez had just arrived in Charlotte on a flight that came from California, authorities said. Court documents show that law enforcement searched Fernandez’s suitcase and found a smaller suitcase that contained three vacuum-sealed packages, or ‘bricks.’

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A lab analysis of the bricks confirmed that the substance was cocaine, weighing approximately nine kilograms, or 20 pounds, in total. A forensic analysis of Fernandez’s seized cell phones revealed messages discussing drug trafficking activity, authorities said.

During the investigation, law enforcement also determined that Fernandez had frequently traveled between California and Charlotte as a drug courier, documents said.

On November 7, 2023, Fernandez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility, officials said.

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