ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Werni Lopez-Perez, 25, and Mario Guizar-Anchondo, 19, both of Santa Fe, New Mexico, made an initial appearance in federal court today, facing charges of conspiracy, possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams and more...

PECOS – A federal grand jury in Pecos returned an indictment last week charging a Midland man with allegedly possessing illegal drugs and a firearm. According to court documents, Edgar Parra, 36, is charged by federal indictment with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and...

LOS ANGELES— A Los Angeles man was arrested late Monday night on a federal grand jury indictment alleging he provided fentanyl-laced pills to a 15-year-old who died on July 8, 2021 after taking the pills. Johnny Castillo, 18, is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday afternoon...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Rosa De Santiago, 48, of Sunland Park, New Mexico, was sentenced in federal court today to 12 years in prison for her part in a drug trafficking and international money laundering conspiracy. De Santiago was one of 22 defendants charged in a 44-count superseding indictment on Aug...

PECOS – Today a federal jury in Pecos convicted a Mexican national for his role in distributing marijuana. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Tomas Herrera-Quinones, 33, and six other co-defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and one...

LOS ANGELES —Today, law enforcement investigators served nine arrest warrants in multiple locations throughout Los Angeles and Riverside Counties. In March of 2020, the DEA launched Operation Crystal Shield to focus efforts on main U.S. methamphetamine trafficking transportation hubs. DEA identified eight major methamphetamine transportation hubs where Operation Crystal Shield...

LOS ANGELES —The culmination of a three-month investigation resulted in a Santa Barbara methamphetamine distributor being sentenced on November 8, 2021 to 180 months in federal prison for narcotics violations. Cesar Castillo-Pena, 35, of San Bernardino, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner. On July 28...

LOS ANGELES – An Arizona man has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge for supplying counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl to the drug dealer accused of selling them to rapper Mac Miller, who soon afterward suffered a fatal overdose, the Justice Department announced today. Ryan Michael Reavis...

EL PASO – The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement partners, has removed close to 745,000 pounds of unneeded prescriptions from medicine cabinets across the country as part of DEA’s ongoing commitment to turn the tide against the U.S. opioid epidemic. Following last month’s 21st National Prescription Drug...

EL PASO – A federal jury convicted two Sinaloa Cartel members on Friday for their roles in the Sinaloa Cartel’s narcotics distribution operations. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Arturo Shows Urquidi, aka “Chous,” 50, of Juarez, Mexico and Mario Iglesias-Villegas, aka “Dos,” “El 2,” “Delta,” “Parka,”...