UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA 

 CASE NO. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

vs. 

MELINA JUSTICE DESTRA, 

JACQUELINE SUSIE MASON, and 

KARTAYAH NARIAH FELICIANO, 

 Defendants. 

___________________________________________/ 

CRIMINAL COVER SHEET 

1. Did this matter originate from a matter pending in the Northern Region of the United States

Attorney’s Office prior to August 8, 2014 (Mag. Judge Shaniek Maynard)? Yes X No

2. Did this matter originate from a matter pending in the Central Region of the United States

Attorney’s Office prior to October 3, 2019 (Mag. Judge Jared Strauss)? Yes X No

Respectfully submitted, 

JUAN ANTONIO GONZALEZ 

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY 

By: /s/ Nardia Haye______________________ 

Nardia Haye 

Assistant United States Attorney 

U.S. Attorney’s Office – SDFL 

Court ID No. A5502738 

99 NE 4th Street, 6th Floor 

Miami, Florida 33132 

Tel: (305) 961-9326 

Email: Nardia.Haye@usdoj.gov 

1:22-mj-03853-Reid

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AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF CRIMINAL COMPLAINT 

I, Summer Louis, being duly sworn, hereby depose and state the following: 

INTRODUCTION AND AGENT BACKGROUND 

 1. I am a Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 

Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) since April of 2020. I obtained a bachelor’s 

degree in mathematics education and a master’s degree in public administration from 

Florida State University. I have experience working for the federal government in 

enforcement and investigations since 2015. I have participated in training programs related 

to the investigation of controlled substances violations and the methods used by traffickers 

in the importation, distribution, packaging, and concealment of controlled substances. I 

have participated in the arrests of numerous suspects involved in narcotics trafficking 

offenses. I have conducted, as well as participated in, numerous drug-related investigations. 

As a law enforcement officer within the meaning of Section 2510(7) of Title 18, United 

States Code, I am empowered by law to conduct investigations of and make arrests for 

offenses enumerated in Titles 18, 19, 21, 31 and 46 of the United States Code. 

 2. The information contained in this affidavit is submitted for the sole purpose 

of establishing probable cause that on or about October 29, 2022, Melina Justice DESTRA 

(“DESTRA”), Jacqueline Susie MASON (“MASON”), and Kartayah Nariah FELICIANO 

(“FELICIANO”) did knowingly and willfully combine, conspire, confederate, and agree 

with each other to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, in violation of 

Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. 

 3. Because this affidavit is being submitted for the limited purpose of 

establishing probable cause, it does not contain all the information known to me and other 

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law enforcement officers involved in this investigation. The facts and information 

contained in this affidavit are based on my personal knowledge and observations, as well 

as information received in my official capacity from other individuals, including other law 

enforcement officers involved in this investigation. 

PROBABLE CAUSE 

 4. On or about October 29, 2022, HSI investigators along with U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection officers (“CBPOs”), conducted an enforcement operation onboard 

the MSC Seashore Cruise Ship. The vessel arrived at the Port of Miami from Ocean Cay, 

Bahamas via Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Mexico. HSI agents and CBPOs encountered 

DESTRA, MASON, and FELICIANO in line to disembark the ship. CBPOs officers 

instructed the subjects to bring their belongings for a secondary inspection. They were 

selected for a secondary inspection based on their booking activity. All three individuals 

booked their trip at the last minute (10 days prior to sailing). Based on my training and 

experience, it is common to book cruises at least several months in advance of sailing. 

Additionally, all three provided only basic information on their booking and did not list an 

emergency contact. Further, their two separate cabins were booked under the same 

reservation number. 

5. The three subjects gathered their belongings and were escorted to a 

secondary inspection area at the Port of Miami. DESTRA brought a hard black carry-on 

luggage with a pink pattern, a black backpack, and a black carry-on bag. MASON brought 

a pink and green carry-on luggage, a small pink purse, a black backpack, and a black carryon bag. FELICIANO brought a travel set consisting of a hard pink carry-on luggage and a 

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soft pink carry-on bag, a small purse, a plastic bag, an off-white carry-on bag, a black 

backpack, and a grey sweater. 

 6. CBPOs gave Customs Declaration Forms to DESTRA, MASON, and 

FELICIANO to fill out. CBPOs then searched each individual and their belongings 

simultaneously in separate rooms. During the search, CBPOs discovered cocaine inside the 

black backpack and black carry-on bag in MASON’s possession. After cutting into the 

lining of MASON’s backpack, CBPOs discovered two packages of a white powdery 

substance that later field-tested positive for cocaine, weighing approximately 3.66 

kilograms. CBPOs discovered another package of a white powdery substance that also 

field-tested positive for cocaine, in the bottom of MASON’s carry-on bag, weighing 

approximately 1.56 kilograms. Additionally, a brown towel and a newly purchased rug was 

found inside this carry-on bag, matching two of the eight described articles that MASON 

listed on her Customs Declaration Form. In total, law enforcement discovered three 

packages of cocaine weighing approximately 5.22 kilograms in MASON’s bags. 

 7. Further, after cutting into the lining of FELICIANO’s black backpack, 

CPBOs found two packages of a white powdery substance that later field-tested positive 

for cocaine, weighing approximately 3.62 kilograms. CBPOs discovered another package 

of a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine in the bottom of 

FELICIANO’s off-white carry-on bag, weighing approximately 1.56 kilograms. In total, 

law enforcement discovered three packages of cocaine weighing approximately 5.18 

kilograms in FELICIANO’s bags. 

 8. Moreover, after cutting into the lining of DESTRA’s black backpack, 

CBPOs found two packages of a white powdery substance that later field-tested positive 

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for cocaine, weighing approximately 4.14 kilograms. CBPOs discovered another package 

of a white powdery substance that later tested positive for cocaine in the bottom of 

DESTRA’s black carry-on bag, weighing approximately 2.08 kilograms. In total, law 

enforcement discovered three packages of cocaine weighing approximately 6.22 kilograms 

in DESTRA’s bags. 

 9. CBPOs discovered a total of nine packages of cocaine concealed in three 

backpacks and three carry-on bags. The total weight of the cocaine was 16.6 kilograms (or 

36.597 pounds). 

 10. Post-Miranda, DESTRA made the following statements: 

a. She was offered a free cruise to pick up bags in Jamaica, which she believed 

to contain marijuana and money. She was supposed to be paid $10,000 for 

picking up and delivering the bags. 

b. She was asked to find two other females with passports to accompany her 

on the cruise to also pick up and deliver the bags. 

c. She reached out to MASON and FELICIANO through social media and 

offered them $10,000 each to deliver bags and MASON and FELICIANO 

both agreed. DESTRA further stated that neither of them asked her what 

was inside the bags, they only asked if the bags would be checked by 

security. 

 11. Post-Miranda, FELICIANO made the following statements: 

a. DESTRA and her boyfriend picked her up from her house in New Jersey 

and gave her a bag prior to boarding a flight to Miami. 

b. DESTRA instructed her to put the bag in her cabin when she boards the ship 

and that she would be paid $1,200 for holding onto the bag. 

c. She had a feeling something about the free trip was not right and that she 

suspected there may have been marijuana inside the bags. 

d. When they came back from Jamaica, she noticed the bag she had was a little 

heavier than she remembered. 

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e. She and MASON had a conversation once they got back on the ship from 

Jamaica where she asked MASON why the stitching was off in the bag she 

possessed. MASON reassured her that DESTRA had done this in the past, 

as if MASON was not concerned about it. 

12. CBPOs conducted a border search of FELICIANO and DESTRA’s 

cellphones, which corroborated their statements to law enforcement. DESTRA’s phone 

revealed WhatsApp messages with an individual she stated recruited her to smuggle the 

narcotics. During the conversation, DESTRA told the recruiter to make sure she gets paid 

so she can pay the other two girls who accompanied her because this was their first time. 

FELICIANO’s phone revealed messages with a phone number that FELICIANO stated 

belonged to MASON. In the messages, FELICIANO and MASON questioned why 

DESTRA asked at one point to take possession of all the bags and how she would take 

them by herself. MASON invoked her Miranda rights. 

[Intentionally left blank] 

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