By Linda Cicoira
A 37-year-old New York woman pleaded guilty Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court to possession with intent to distribute 156 pounds of marijuana last April.
In a plea bargain for Vanessa Saavedra, of Islip, judgment was deferred for a year. If Saavedra remains on good behavior and completes 200 hours of community service by March 4, 2027, she would be convicted of the lesser charge of possession with intent to distribute more than an ounce but less than five pounds of marijuana.
The maximum penalty for the initial crime of distribution of more than five pounds is 30 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. The reduced charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and up to a $2,500 fine. In both cases, her driver’s license could be suspended for six months.
The defendant was stopped for going 72 mph in a 55-mile-per-hour zone in the Painter area. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Baker said the officer who pulled her over could smell a strong scent of marijuana coming from the vehicle. He said the driver was nervous and said she was going to Virginia Beach. After being told a canine unit was on the way, she admitted the boxes in the back of her vehicle contained marijuana.
Baker said there were 12 boxes. Each one held 13 vacuum-sealed containers.
A condition of the bond that kept her from leaving home was lifted, and her passport was returned.
In a plea agreement, charges of possession of marijuana and transporting the drug over state lines were not prosecuted. The latter offense carries a mandatory three-year term. There was no agreement regarding punishment.
