(WXYZ) — A registered nurse from Amherstburg, Ontario is accused of importing more than 100 pounds of marijuana into the United States.
According to a criminal complaint, Terri Leanne Maxwell, 48, was at the Detroit Ambassador Bridge on April 22. She allegedly applied for admission into the United States and showed she had valid status to work as a registered nurse, including a placard issued by Canada Border Services Agency showing she is a first responder.
According to the complaint, CBP officers had Maxwell open her trunk for an enforcement exam and noticed there was an alleged order of marijuana. Upon further inspection, officers allegedly found 143 vacuum sealed bags of suspected marijuana.
If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison.
“At a time when health care professionals are working overtime to keep us safe, it’s really shameful that anyone would exploit their status as a nurse to smuggle any kind of drug into our country,” stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. “To stop the spread of the Coronavirus, our Canadian border is open only for essential travel — and smuggling in marijuana simply isn’t essential.”
