BRADENTON, Fla. — A postal carrier in Florida is accused of trafficking cocaine through the mail, prosecutors said.
Natasha Michelle Prieto, 33, of Bradenton, was indicted on charges of conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, WWSB-TV reported.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Prieto provided addresses on her postal route to Angel Hernandez Coss, 37, who arranged to have packages of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to those addresses, WTSP-TV reported. Coss was indicted on the same counts as Prieto.
Prieto allegedly intercepted the packages before they could be delivered so that Coss could sell the drugs, WWSB reported.
Investigators seized packages from Prieto on Aug. 15, leading to the pair’s arrest, according to WFLA-TV.
If convicted on all counts, Prieto and Coss each face a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in federal prison.
Prosecutors said that the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.