Providence Woman Facing Federal Prison and Deportation After Admitting to Trafficking More Than 3 Kilos of Fentanyl and Heroin

PROVIDENCE – A Providence woman arrested in November 2018 when federal agents seized more than three kilograms of fentanyl and heroin during a court-authorized search of her home is facing a federal prison sentence and deportation after pleading guilty in federal court today to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Marleni Difo, 27, a Dominican national, was arrested on November 2, 2018, when members of the DEA Drug Task Force executed a federally authorized warrant to search her single-family residence and seized plastic bags containing 3.2 kilograms of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin and 403 grams of a mixture containing both heroin and carfentanil.

Also seized were three digital scales and numerous other items used in the packaging and distribution of narcotics, including sealed bottles of lactose powder, a white powder used as a cutting agent for narcotics, including fentanyl and cocaine.

Difo’s guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.

Difo is scheduled to be sentenced on February 21, 2020.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Milind M. Shah and Paul F. Daly, Jr.

United States Attorney Aaron Weisman and DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle thank the Providence Police Department for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.

The Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force is comprised of agents and law enforcement officers from the DEA, ATF, IRS, Homeland Security Investigations, Rhode Island State Police and Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence, Newport, South Kingstown, Warwick, West Warwick and Woonsocket Police Departments.

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