Mother Sentenced for Trying to Sneak Fentanyl Into Juvenile Hall

Jeny Morenoparra pleaded no contest to bringing drugs into a detention facility

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A 42-year-old mother was sentenced to 16 months in state prison for attempting to sneak fentanyl into a Sylmar juvenile hall in 2023 while visiting her child who was housed there. Jeny Morenoparra pleaded no contest last month to a felony charge of bringing drugs into a prison, jail or detention facility.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing challenges of keeping illicit drugs out of detention facilities and the risks they pose to vulnerable youth populations. Fentanyl is an extremely potent and dangerous opioid that has contributed to a rise in overdose deaths nationwide, especially among young people.

The details

In 2023, Morenoparra was contacted by a supervising deputy probation officer at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall and found to be in possession of over 30 pills that tested positive for fentanyl. She was initially arrested but released without charges until the case was reviewed in May 2025. Morenoparra was then taken into custody in July 2025 by the Los Angeles County Probation Department's Special Enforcement Operations Team.

  • Morenoparra was initially contacted by a supervising deputy probation officer in 2023.
  • Morenoparra was arrested in 2023 but released without charges.
  • The case was reviewed in May 2025.
  • Morenoparra was taken into custody on July 11, 2025.
  • Morenoparra was sentenced on February 19, 2026 to 16 months in state prison.

The players

Jeny Morenoparra

A 42-year-old mother who was charged with attempting to sneak fentanyl into a Sylmar juvenile hall in 2023 while visiting her child who was housed there.

Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office

The prosecutor's office that charged Morenoparra and secured her conviction and sentencing.

Los Angeles County Probation Department

The department that arrested Morenoparra in 2025 and oversees the juvenile detention facility where the incident occurred.

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What they’re saying

“The defendant, a mother of one of the facility's residents, is accused of attempting to introduce fentanyl, an incredibly dangerous drug, endangering the very child she came to visit as well as potentially many of the other juveniles in the facility.”

— Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney (mynewsla.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Jeny Morenoparra out on bail pending her appeal.

The takeaway

This case underscores the critical need for heightened security measures and drug detection protocols in juvenile detention facilities to prevent the introduction of deadly substances like fentanyl, which put vulnerable youth at grave risk of overdose and other harm.