SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine. Richard G. Wacker, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 20 years in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 10, 2020, Wacker...

OMAHA, Neb. –Seizures of fentanyl and heroin made by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in North Dakota increased in 2020 with investigators seeing a 223 percent increase from 2019 in the two drugs combined. Fentanyl, estimated at approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than...

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Teran Martin to 120 months in prison today and ordered Martin to forfeit $23,488 and the several firearms law enforcement seized in the course of investigating the crimes charged. The 27-year-old Ferguson, Missouri, resident had previously pleaded guilty to one...

OMAHA, Neb. –The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is reporting a 30 percent increase in fentanyl seizures in Minnesota for 2020, after investigators pulled 6.2 kilograms, or the equivalent of more than three million lethal doses, off the streets. Included in the 6.2 kilograms are more than 55,000 counterfeit pills, many...

ST. LOUIS – Rita Aramyan of Las Vegas pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Aramyan appeared today before U.S. District Court Judge Ronnie L. White. Beginning in April 2013 and ending around May 2019, Aramyan was part of a drug trafficking organization that conspired to distribute...

ST. LOUIS – Gregory Simms, 33, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Simms appeared today, before U.S. District Court Judge Ronnie L. White. On June 13, 2020, St. Charles County police stopped Simms for driving a vehicle...

WICHITA, Kans. – The Drug Enforcement Administration Wichita Resident Office announced today the launch of Operation Engage, a new comprehensive law enforcement and prevention initiative aimed at reducing drug use, abuse, and overdose deaths. Operation Engage allows participating DEA divisions to focus on the biggest drug threat and resulting violence...

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. sentenced Keith Estep to 120 months in prison today. The 42-year-old House Springs, Missouri, resident pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent...

OMAHA, Neb. – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is warning the public of a widespread fraud scheme in which telephone scammers impersonate DEA agents in an attempt to extort money or steal personal identifiable information. A new public service announcement aims to raise awareness that DEA will never call demanding...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eight defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a $4.1 million conspiracy to distribute more than 520 kilograms of methamphetamine. Tina Marie Bailey, 36, and Martin Lee Williams, 58, both of Kansas City, Mo.; Mark Williams Hildebrand II, 31, and...