July 2, 2008, 4:33PM
Nigerian gets prison in cocaine smuggling case


© 2008 The Associated Press



FORT WORTH, Texas — A Nigerian must serve nearly 20 years in prison after about nine pounds of cocaine turned up in two bags checked for a flight from Texas to London.

The U.S. attorney's office in Fort Worth on Wednesday announced 48-year-old Chinedu (CHEN'-uh-doo) Leonard Momah of Lagos received the maximum 235-month prison term.

Momah in February pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine.

A co-defendant, 46-year-old Johnson Obiegbu (oh-bee-EGG'-boo) of Amityville, N.Y., pleaded guilty May 30 in the smuggling case and was sentenced to 97 months in prison.

Canisters of cocaine were found Oct. 29 in two bags X-rayed after being checked for a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Gatwick Airport.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5868493.html