A Middlesbrough beautician has been sentenced to six years in prison for trafficking drugs worth £15 million through Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Kim Hall was caught with 43kg of cocaine in her suitcases and faced a potential 60-year sentence in the United States. However, she agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence of four to six years as part of a plea bargain deal.
It is anticipated that Hall may be eligible for early release and could return home in two years after factoring in time served and good behavior. The prosecution acknowledged that she was coerced by two British men to transport the suitcases, believing they contained a large sum of money to bring back to the UK from Mexico.
Hall claimed that the men threatened her with a gun and forced her to carry the drugs after offering her a free trip to Cancun, Mexico. Her attorney, Brandon Carter, negotiated the reduced sentence, citing her non-US citizenship as a factor in the plea bargain. Hall’s family expressed relief at the lighter sentence, emphasizing her innocence and the impact of her bipolar condition on her decision-making.
The court’s decision to impose a shorter prison term was welcomed by her family, who had feared a much longer sentence. They expressed gratitude for the recognition of Hall’s circumstances and eagerly awaited her return home.