Woman Cops Plea In "Coochie" Smuggle Case

MAY 21--The 22-year-old Pennsylvania woman who texted a friend that she was “smuggling cocaine and heroin in my coochie” across the Mexican border has pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge, records show.

Samantha Kurdilla was arrested in January after she attempted to walk back into the U.S. from Tijuana via a border crossing. A drug detection dog “alerted to a narcotic odor” emanating from her “groin area,” according to a probable cause statement.

A subsequent search revealed that Kurdilla, seen at right, had a condom filled with 100 grams of cocaine “within her vaginal cavity,” investigators reported in a U.S. District Court filing.

During questioning, Kurdilla copped to drug smuggling “in exchange for compensation” from a male companion with whom she was arrested. Additionally, an examination of Kudilla’s cell phone turned up a damning text message to an unidentified recipient that revealed what she was up to: “I’m smuggling cocaine and heroin in my coochie.”

During a May 16 hearing in U.S. District Court in San Diego, Kurdilla--who was originally indicted on a felony smuggling charge--pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor count of heroin possession.

Kurdilla, who is free on $30,000 bond, has also been accepted into a three-year pretrial diversion program which will spare her prison time. If Kurdilla successfully completes the program, the criminal charge will be dismissed.

Kurdilla’s codefendant, James Perry, previously pleaded guilty to a felony cocaine smuggling charge. The 44-year-old Perry, an Army veteran who lives in Pennsylvania, has been locked up since his arrest with Kurdilla. Court documents do not detail Kurdilla’s relationship with Perry, who is married with four children. (3 pages)