GA - Cherokee drug smugling USA - AVweb

 

Highway Landing Drug Smuggler Gets 30 Months

Cherokee ran out of fuel before forced landing on road in Oceanside.

Russ Niles

Monday, May 26, 2025

 Oceanside Police

A student pilot who initially made the news for a successful freeway landing near San Diego was back in the spotlight this week for the 30 month jail sentence he received for the cocaine found on his out-of-gas Piper Cherokee. Troy Othneil Smith, 36, of Oceanside pleaded guilty to two counts of cocaine trafficking after a rescue effort turned into a drug bust on State Road 76 in Oceanside, California on Sept. 24, 2024. As we reported at the time, the rented Cherokee 235 was flown to Mesa, Arizona and back, landing on the road about 1:39 a.m.

Of course, first responders swarmed the site and police saw Smith toss a backpack into the bushes beside the road. The bag was retrieved and more than two pounds of cocaine was found inside. During the investigation a new charge was laid against Smith for mailing cocaine. Another man, Gabriel Breit, 21, identified as Smith’s instructor for the flight, was also arrested but it’s not clear if he was also charged for the drugs.