YAIDEL PLACIDO SALVADOR, also known as PLACIDO, was sentenced on April 8 to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The sentencing took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition to the prison term, Placido received five years of supervised release and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
The case is significant because it involved multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine being transported into the Eastern District of Louisiana. According to court documents, Placido worked with other co-conspirators to distribute these large amounts of drugs within the region.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF brings together various law enforcement agencies—including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives—to target criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating both inside and outside U.S. borders. The HSTF places particular emphasis on crimes involving children and works toward prosecuting violent criminal aliens.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Orleans Field Division Office with support from several local law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Border Patrol; Gretna Major Crimes Task Force; Kenner Police Department; Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office; and Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman handled prosecution duties for this case.
Operation Take Back America—a federal initiative that aims to eliminate illegal immigration as well as cartels and transnational criminal organizations—was also cited as a key framework for this prosecution effort.
