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A man who was onboard a small plane that made an emergency landing in Oceanside last fall has pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
Prosecutors allege that Oceanside resident Troy Othneil Smith tried to get rid of a drug package within sight of police after the plane in which he was riding landed on state Route 76 in the early morning hours of Sept. 26, 2024.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the plane took off from San Diego on Sept. 25, flew to Mesa, Ariz., and headed back to California the next day.
Mechanical issues forced the emergency landing near Canyon Drive on SR-76, according to prosecutors.
Some time after Smith and his co-pilot left the plane and spoke with Oceanside police officers, the defendant unzipped a backpack he was wearing – drawing their attention – and tossed something into the bushes near a guardrail on the highway, prosecutors said.
The contents of the package tested positive for cocaine, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, and Smith was arrested.
He was charged in October and entered his guilty plea last week in San Diego federal court.
His plea agreement states the package within his backpack contained just over two pounds of cocaine. He also admitted that he mailed out packages containing cocaine that were ultimately seized by the U.S. Postal Service.
Smith, 36 when he was charged, is set to sentenced in April.
The other man on the plane was arrested, but prosecutors did not file charges against him.