Three workers from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport pleaded not guilty in federal court in Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon to charges they conspired to smuggle drugs and money through airports and onto airplanes for cash.

Two of the workers, Jon Patton, 44, of Lawrenceville and Andre Mays, 24, of Atlanta are employed by the Transportation Safety Administration, the federal agency whose workers screen travelers for illegal contraband, including drugs.

The third suspect, Leslie Adgar, 42, of Decatur is a Delta Air Lines employee.

All three are based at Hartsfield-Jackson.

Appearing together in federal court Tuesday, they all pleaded not guilty to the drug-smuggling and conspiracy charges that were handed down in an indictment earlier in the day. They were released on $20,000 or $25,000 bond.

Adgar and Mays took turns becoming emotional before and during the hearing. Adgar's defense attorney, Bruce Harvey, consoled her at one point, while Mays later wiped tears from his eyes after shooting a look of sadness at a relative.

Patton, who is married and has two children, had what appeared to be a diabetic episode in court. A court staffer rushed off in search of a piece of candy before another man returned with medicine for Patton.

All three either ignored a reporter's request for comment or declined to comment as they were led out of the courtroom.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents learned of the alleged drug-smuggling ring from a confidential informant in November 2007, and arranged undercover stings in which fake drugs were taken onto flights to New York in exchange for money, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The stings occurred on Dec. 19, Jan. 23 and on Friday, according to the criminal complaint filed in federal court. In each instance, Patton or Mays took a bag containing fake cocaine or heroin and cash from the DEA informant while they were on duty and in uniform at the Atlanta airport, the complaint alleges.

Patton or Mays then sneaked the package through the security checkpoint before passing it off to Adgar, who took it in carry-on luggage onto Delta flights to New York's LaGuardia Airport, according to the complaint.

Adgar did not make the last flight on Friday; she was arrested by DEA agents while trying to board it. Patton and Mays were arrested a short time later.