POCATELLO – Ramon Morales Jr., 41, of Compton, California, was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison for importing and distributing methamphetamine in Eastern Idaho in exchange for firearms. According to court records, Morales was initially arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol when he was caught attempting to smuggle...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, and Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Rafael Columbie was sentenced to 10 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Columbie, 54, of...

Seattle – A 46-year-old Mexican citizen is in federal custody tonight charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver, for some 30,000 fentanyl pills found in his pick-up truck, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. David Garcia-Garcia made his appearance on the criminal complaint this afternoon. He...

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A California man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and heroin to a narcotics dealer through the mail. According to court documents, in May 2019, Charles Trevino, 50, mailed over 1,300 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine and over 220 grams of heroin...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, and Francisco B. Burrola, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and Jeffrey C. Boshek II...

ALPINE, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced Monday in a federal courthouse in Alpine to 96 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. According to court documents, Hector Bernal Jr., 36, was a passenger in a vehicle that entered the primary inspection lane at the...

EUGENE, Ore.—A Gresham, Oregon man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on July 11, 2023, after he was arrested transporting methamphetamine in Deschutes County. Dennis Richard DeChenne Jr., 39, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release...

SEATTLE – A Seattle man, involved with firearms and fentanyl, pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to federal charges that carry a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Lavonta Austin, 30, will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge...

ALPINE, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced Monday in a federal court in Alpine to 78 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to possess with to distribute cocaine and a second count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, Jaime Gabriel Juarez...

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Matthew James Holmberg, 20, of Spokane Valley, Washington, was sentenced on July 19, 2023, to 19 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court records, Holmberg was involved...