MIAMI – Flight attendant Marcelo Chaves appeared in a South Florida bond court on Thursday, two days after the New York resident was arrested at Miami International Airport.
That’s where, according to his arrest form, he was getting off an American Airlines flight from Brazil with his live-in boyfriend and now listed co-defendant Ronald Maldonado.
On Wednesday evening, Robert Brisley of U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Local 10 News that on Tuesday, “CBP officers at Miami airport arrested (2) US Citizens after they arrived on a flight from Brazil for possession and transportation of narcotics. State Attorney’s office accepted prosecution and both subjects were turned over to Miami Dade PD at MIA Airport. This incident remains under investigation.”
When a CBP officer conducted a random check, they found that the two off-duty Delta flight attendants were packing more than travel clothes.
Pulled off the pair was Ketamine, Methamphetamine and GBL, a GHB substitute. It was discovered in two glass cosmetic bottles, a clear plastic bottle and in their luggage, and there was enough that the couple is now facing felony drug trafficking charges.
They told investigators they were “doing drugs in Brazil” but didn’t know how the drugs got into the cosmetic bottles.
Delta Airlines released a statement, which read:
“Delta continually cooperates with law enforcement entities and the two off-duty flight attendants in question have been suspended pending outcome of an investigation.”
Chaves said he has been living in New York and New Jersey for last 12 years.
After hearing he was a flight attendant, the judge ordered a Nebbia hearing, known as a bail source hearing.
“You have to show the money used to post our bond is from a legitimate source of funds,” the judge told Chaves.
What is unknown, because it was not mentioned during bond court or in the arrest form, is why the New Yorker was in Miami from Brazil.
Local 10 News reached out to American Airlines for a statement pertaining to Chaves’ arrest form stating Chaves and his partner were “traveling from Brazil on American Airlines Flight 904″ but instead of providing a statement on behalf of American Airlines a company spokesperson directed us to a federal agency who, since they do not work for the private carrier, would not be able to comment on behalf of the airliner.