A PrettyLittle Thing model, who commands a huge fan following on Instagram and is an influencer, is a convicted drug dealer who was jailed for selling cocaine and heroin, it has been revealed. Rebecca Vieira, 25, was sentenced to 20 months for possession with intent to supply but is now a changed person.
The stunning model recently spoke about her experience of peddling drugs and them spending months in jail. However, Vieira claims that it wasn't her profession and that she was pressurized to carry the drugs. Vieira now calls herself a public figure given that she has become a prominent face in modeling and often seen endorsing the popular women's fashion label PrettyLittle Thing.
Dark Past
Vieira, 25, regularly models outfits for fashion firms to her 166,000 followers on Instagram, where the mother-of-one describes herself as a "public figure." However life had taken an ugly turn for the model sometime back. Vieira told the Sunday People that she was jailed in a few years back for possessing cocaine and heroin with intent to supply.
The model said that she was in no mood to peddle the drugs but an ex pressured her into carrying the Class A drugs, before she was eventually caught by police in Merstham, Surrey, in 2019.
"I kept quiet and took the punishment because I felt I had no other option," she said claiming that she did so keeping in mind the safety of her family. "Thankfully, I was able to get away from that situation safely but I'm still having nightmares.
That said, Vieira, who is a former MTV's Celebrity Bumps star, said that she feels a lot better now after having shunned her past. "I'm a stronger person now and encourage people to seek help when they need it rather than staying trapped and manipulated," she said.
A New Life
Following her arrest in January 2019, Vieira admitted to two counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply. According to GetSurrey, she was stopped by police on the A23 in Merstham in September 2017, after she initially failed to stop for officers.
Police at that time had told the outlet that they found "a large quantity of cash and two mobile phones" along with individual wraps of cocaine. She was prosecuted at Guildford crown court under her birth name, Rebecca Marques and was jailed for 20 months.
However, she was released early and returned to Instagram in November of that year itself resuming her modeling career. Returning to the social media app, she posted a picture with the caption: "What you feed grows, took some time to see the bigger picture."
She regrets having failed to judge the person, who forced her to carry the drugs but wants to leave the past behind her and move on. She is currently dating former Love Island contestant and Blazin Squad member Marcel Somerville.
Vieira continues to post on Instagram modeling various clothing brands. Rebecca's latest Instagram posts include a string of pictures modelling knitwear and casual gear. Each caption includes the official hashtag @prettylittlething.
Last week, she also shared a family photo and captioned it: "In the end all that matters is family and those who love you, things get thrown at you to break you but as long as you have a strong support system you can get through everything, I'm forever grateful for my family and friends I call family."
