Son of ex-fire chief sentenced for LAX drug ring

Transportation Security Administration agents screen passengers and luggage at Los Angeles International Airport in this May 2, 2011 file photo. / Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES The son of a former Los Angeles fire chief has been sentenced to a year in federal prison and fined $6,000 for heading a marijuana-smuggling ring in which he bribed security officers to get pot-filled suitcases on flights from L.A. to Boston.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says 24-year-old Millage Peaks IV received the sentence Monday. He also was given three years' probation.

Prosecutors say Peaks paid between $200 and $500 to get at least 10 shipments of pot through security at Los Angeles International Airport in 2010 and 2011.

Peaks' father, Millage Peaks III, retired as L.A.'s fire chief 2011.

Co-defendant Randy Littlefield is one of two former Transportation Security Administration officers who pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the case. Littlefield, 29, received eight months in prison and three years' probation.

In court papers, Littlefield acknowledged accepting $200 on two occasions from fellow TSA agent Dianna Perez when she needed help clearing luggage filled with marijuana through LAX security. Perez pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge last September, reports CBS Station KCBS.

She admitted she helped her co-defendants smuggle the drugs on nine occasions between November 2010 and October 2011.

According to court papers, Peaks told the defendants he would pay $500 for every pot-filled suitcase that would go through airport security.

Last year, Andrew Welter and co-defendant Charles "Smoke" Hicks, 24, admitted to working with Peaks to smuggle marijuana onto flights, reports KCBS.

[marine1957]

If it was nobody me that got caught doing that, I'd have gotten 20 years and $1 million fine.

[twmat311]

The only thing sometimes more dangerous than officials' abuse of power - the behavior of their kids.
We have a local mayor's son on trial (conviction is pretty much in the bag) for terroristic threats, arson, and a few other charges - all from a single crime incident. Only hope, with the local "culture," is that he gets SOME prison time.

[Sam_Pappy]

When I was that age I'd have done something like that only not through TSA. Pick your battles, rehab, and profession with your head.

[john92021]

must have bribed the judge too.

[typingfast1]

That's a really tough sentence. If that doesn't send a signal to would be smugglers, I don't know what will. One whole year. I'm really impressed. Why not 10 years or more. That is the only way you can convince people to stop this nonsense. A second conviction should be doubled.

[twmat311]

Don't forget the big $6K fine; wonder whether he or dad will write the check (or just pay cash out of pocket... "can you make change for a $10K bill?")

[collie61]

Boy, this really sends a strong message to other TSA workers. Not.