Three residents from St. John the Baptist and Jefferson Parishes have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to fentanyl conspiracy and distribution. Jessica Portway, 42, of St. John the Baptist Parish; Rachel Portway, 23, of Jefferson Parish; and Tyler Saladino, 25, of Jefferson Parish entered their pleas before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.
Jessica Portway pleaded guilty on January 7, 2026. Rachel Portway and Tyler Saladino entered their pleas on January 21, 2026. All three were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. They also faced charges for distribution of fentanyl. Rachel Portway and Saladino were additionally charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, while Jessica Portway was charged separately with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents, an investigation by the Jefferson Parish Sheriffâs Office into an overdose death in August 2023 led authorities to uncover that the three defendants conspired to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana. As part of this operation, Saladino and Rachel Portway sold pills containing fentanyl to a victim in Jefferson Parish. Investigators found that Rachel Portway obtained these pills from Jessica Portway, who had received them from a source in California.
Law enforcement executed search warrants at both Saladino and Rachel Portwayâs shared residence as well as Jessica Portwayâs home in LaPlace, Louisiana. At Saladino and Rachel Portway’s residence, officers recovered additional pills containing fentanyl. The search at Jessica Portway’s residence resulted in the seizure of 26 doses of LSD, methamphetamine, and more fentanyl.
The potential penalties for these offenses are significant. For each count of conspiracy or distribution under Title 21 U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and related statutes, defendants face up to 20 years in prison per count, fines up to $1 million per count, and at least three years of supervised release per count. For her specific charge under Count 4, Jessica Portway faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine up to $10 million dollars, and up to five years supervised release.
Each defendant must also pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count.
Sentencing for Jessica Portway is scheduled for April 8, 2026; sentencing for Rachel Portway and Tyler Saladino is set for April 22, 2026.
“This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration â Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), the Jefferson Parish Sheriffâs Office, and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriffâs Office,” according to United States Attorney David I. Courcelle’s announcement. “The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Briana Williams and Andre Jones of the Narcotics Unit.”
