Racquelle Dolores Anteola, better known by her stage name Rahky, a 34-year-old singer from Van Nuys, and Melissa Dufour, a 36-year-old fitness influencer friend residing in Miramar, Florida, are both potentially facing life sentences in federal prison.
They were reportedly contemplating entering a guilty plea on charges associated with the unlawful transportation of more than 200 pounds of cocaine through Alabama.
The apprehension occurred in June when the pair was stopped by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office on Interstate 10 in Mobile County, Alabama while driving a modified Ford Expedition bearing Texas dealer plates from Houston to Atlanta.
The SUV, according to a report in the local publication Lagniappe, was found to have aftermarket compartments and a modified floor that served to conceal additional illicit substances.
Dufour, the proprietor of the apparel brand Sexy Sweats, and Anteola, a singer-turned-entrepreneur, are currently defendants in federal court on charges related to the significant quantity of cocaine discovered in the concealed compartments.
The attorneys representing the women reportedly apprised the judge on Tuesday, as reported by Lagniappe, that their clients intend to enter guilty pleas to the charges the following week.
Anteola and Dufour could face severe penalties, including fines of up to $10 million and imprisonment ranging from ten years to life if found guilty.
According to the indictment, the women allegedly commenced drug trafficking operations no later than November 2022, providing a chronology of their participation in the unlawful commerce.
The aforementioned case has attracted considerable interest, providing insight into the unforeseen legal challenges that public figures in the fitness and entertainment sectors may encounter.
With the progression of the legal proceedings, numerous individuals will be vigilantly observing the whereabouts of Rahky and Dufour, anticipating additional information regarding the allegations and the possible ramifications they may face in their professional and personal lives.