California Gang Member With Criminal Ties to Florida sentenced to twenty years

A Los Angeles man with a lengthy criminal record and ties to Florida was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to transport 46 kg of methamphetamine through Charlotte Douglas International Airport. On Friday, authorities announced the sentencing of Rashad Jamal Blanchard, 47, a member of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods.

Blanchard’s criminal record spans four states—North Carolina, California, Florida, and Virginia—and includes prior felony convictions for carjacking and bank robbery. He was on probation for a bank robbery conviction when he was apprehended at the Charlotte airport.

He also has ongoing charges in California for allegedly possessing nearly four pounds of methamphetamine and discharging a revolver during a disagreement.

On February 1, 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Queen City Regional Border Security Task Force intercepted Blanchard’s drug trafficking organization at Charlotte’s airport. Blanchard checked four suitcases after landing on a trip from Los Angeles, three of which contained vacuum-sealed sachets of methamphetamine hidden within comforters.

The three suitcases contained 34.6 kg of the narcotic. The fourth suitcase, discovered in a baggage claim by another passenger and eventually tracked down by law police, contained an extra 11.4 kilos of methamphetamine, bringing the total to 46 kilograms.

Blanchard’s ties to Florida were revealed in his criminal history, which includes earlier arrests and convictions for violent and narcotics charges across multiple states.

Blanchard pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in November 2023. In addition to his 20-year prison sentence, he will serve five years on supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Dena J. King, HSI Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant, and CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings complimented the Queen City Regional Border Security Task Force’s coordinated efforts to halt Blanchard’s business. Assistant US Attorney Thomas Kent prosecuted the case.

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