MONTGOMERY, Ala. - On Tuesday May 9, 2017 Dr. Robert M. Ritchea, 54, of LaGrange, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for operating a “pill mill” through his medical practice and for money laundering, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Bret Hamilton and Acting United States Attorney A...

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) and more than 4,200 of its law enforcement and community partners collected more unused prescription drugs than at any of the 12 previous National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events. On Saturday, April 29, the event brought in 900,386 (450 tons) at...

WASHINGTON, D.C. and SILVER SPRINGS, Md. - The United States Drug Enforcement (DEA), DEA Educational Foundation and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, announced today the finalists of the inaugural Operation Prevention Video Challenge-a peer-to-peer platform for communicating messages about the dangers...

NEW ORLEANS - Yesterday a federal jury convicted Cornell Pendleton, age 51, of the Gentilly neighborhood in New Orleans for his role in laundering money on behalf of heroin dealers in the New Orleans area, announced DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen G. Azzam and Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Following...

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Mark Hudson of Hot Springs was sentenced this week to 110 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on each count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine, announced DEA Assistant Special-Agent-in-Charge Matthew Barden and Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A federal judge today sentenced three Birmingham residents for conspiring to traffic nearly $2 million worth of heroin and fentanyl, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Bret Hamilton and Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey. A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced Onandas Carmece Beard, 19, to...

SHREVEPORT, La. - A Zwolle man was sentenced Monday to 19 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing multiple firearms, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Brad L. Byerley and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Heath Meshell, 34, of Zwolle, La., was...

NEW ORLEANS - Addictive prescription drugs that are thrown away or left untended on shelves and in drawers at home are often stolen and either abused or sold by family members and visitors. That’s why the DEA and thousands of its state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners...

MOBILE, Ala. - A former worker’s compensation manager, Christopher Manfuso, has been sentenced to six months of house arrest and ordered to immediately pay a $50,000 fine, for his role in the operation of the massive pill mill run by Dr. Xiulu Ruan and Dr. John Patrick Couch, announced DEA...

MOBILE, Ala. - A former nurse practitioner, Thomas “Justin” Palmer, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for his role in the operation of a massive pill mill run by Dr. Xiulu Ruan and Dr. John Patrick Couch, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Bret Hamilton and Acting United...