NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Louisiana, Eastern), published as received.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA, age 24, a resident of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, and LETICIA NICACIA DOS SANTOS, aka “La China,”, age 18, who is a Brazillian national, pled guilty on November 29, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(b)(1)(B) and 846.   YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA also pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of her drug trafficking activities, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

According to court documents, the Department of Homeland Security been investigating the narcotics trafficking activities of a Mexican national who was located in Mexico.  The investigation revealed that this individual had couriers within the Eastern District Louisiana distributing fentanyl pills. Two of those couriers were identified as YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA AND LETICIA NICACIA DOS SANTOS, aka “La China.”  During this investigation, LEIVA was also arrested by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office regarding  a shooting in which she was involved.  When she was arrested, the deputies located firearms and additional drugs on her person.

For the drug charges, both YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA and LETICIA NICACIA DOS SANTOS, aka “La China” face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of forty years in prison,  a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  For the gun violation YOLANI ASUCENA ENORADO-LEIVA will face an additional  sentence of five years up  to life in prison.  Any sentence imposed in connection with this count must be  served consecutively to the sentence in the drug count.  She will also face an additional fine of up to $250,000.00, not more than three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee for each count.

This case was investigated by the Special Agents of the Department of Homeland Security and the Deputies of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu