F FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     CONTACT: KATHY ENGLISH   

FEBRUARY 13, 2008                            PHONE: (504) 680-3068          

WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/LAE                              

FAX: (504) 589-4978  

ALECIA WHITELEY, age 23, a resident of Kenner, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court to a Superceding Bill of Information charging her with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to court documents, on or about September 7, 2007, WHITELEY, made arrangements with a known drug dealer for her and a companion to fly from New Orleans to Houston, Texas in order to transport drugs to New Orleans. On September 12, 2007, Louisiana State Police stopped WHITELEY and her companion on Interstate-10 outside of Lafayette, Louisiana. Hidden in the rental car WHITELEY was driving, police found several kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride. WHITELEY was to have been paid $1000.00 by the drug dealer after she returned to New Orleans with the drugs. WHITELEY and her companion planned to split the $1000.00.

The case against WHITELEY was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Louisiana State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Greenfield and Melvin Washington.