A Southern California teenager has admitted in federal court that he tried to move more than 70 pounds of ketamine through Las Vegas, after customs officers cracked open his luggage at Harry Reid International Airport, according to court filings. Prosecutors say 19-year-old Nehemiah Bayonne pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to importing a controlled substance and possessing it with intent to distribute. A sentencing hearing is set for Aug. 24, 2026.
Records show Bayonne arrived at the airport on or about Sept. 29, 2025, on a flight from London and was flagged by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer for a closer look at his bags. During that baggage inspection, agents reported finding two suitcases packed with 32 brick-shaped packages, 16 in each bag, with a combined weight of about 32.8 kilograms (72.3 pounds). Investigators say the bricks contained a white, crystal-like substance believed to be ketamine, as reported by KLAS.
Guilty plea and court schedule
Bayonne pleaded guilty to one count of importation of a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute, according to News 3 Las Vegas. U.S. District Judge Cristina D. Silva has set sentencing for Aug. 24, 2026, and court documents note the charges carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison, along with potential fines and a term of supervised release.
What ketamine is and why seizures matter
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies ketamine as a Schedule III dissociative anesthetic that can trigger hallucinogenic effects and distort a user’s sense of sight and sound. The agency notes the drug is sometimes diverted from legitimate medical or veterinary sources or smuggled into the United States. The DEA also warns that high doses or adulterated ketamine can cause unconsciousness and dangerously slowed breathing, and its fact sheet details common street forms and associated risks.
Next steps and investigation
Federal authorities, including Customs officers and Homeland Security Investigations, are continuing to look at where the shipment started and how it was routed into Las Vegas. The case highlights how international flights can be used to funnel controlled substances into the country and why airport inspections remain a crucial chokepoint, according to local reporting and court filings. Bayonne is scheduled to return to federal court for sentencing this summer, when Judge Silva will weigh the plea agreement and federal sentencing guidelines, according to News 3 Las Vegas.
