EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 130 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, Gary Everett Rinker, 56, sold approximately 200 pills containing 19.8 grams of fentanyl to a buyer at...

PECOS – A Kermit man was sentenced this week in federal court in Pecos to 115 months in prison for possession and distribution of methamphetamine and an additional 24 months in prison for a supervised release violation stemming from a felon in possession charge he was sentenced for in 2022...

EL PASO – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division has a new Special Agent in Charge (SAC). On Sept. 11, 2023, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram named Towanda R. Thorne-James as the new Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the El Paso Division, which serves New Mexico and West Texas...

PECOS – An Anthony, New Mexico man was sentenced this week to 327 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed cocaine. According to court documents, Gilberto Hernandez, aka “G”, 30, was the leader of the Hernandez drug trafficking organization (DTO). From August 2021 until...

Note: View Purdy’s Plea Agreement . View Maldonado’s Plea Agreement . ALBUQUERQUE – Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, and Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Brian Kain Purdy and Sabino Alfonso...

LOS ANGELES – Seven members of a San Fernando Valley drug trafficking crew were indicted on a 15-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they ran an operation that sold cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Law enforcement arrested four of the seven defendants earlier this morning. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms...

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Tuesday by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for distributing large quantities of fentanyl pills in Las Vegas. According to court documents, Alphaeus Johnson (38) conspired...

El Paso – In 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration marked its 50th anniversary as the only federal agency dedicated to fighting deadly drugs and drug-related violence. This milestone celebrated a half century of dedication to fighting drug trafficking in the United States and around the world, which threatens the...

LOS ANGELES – A San Luis Obispo County woman was arraigned today on a federal grand jury indictment alleging, among other crimes, that she knowingly distributed fentanyl, the use of which resulted in a victim’s fatal overdose in May 2023. Jessica Leigh Alalia, 30, a.k.a. “Jessica Mitchell,” of Paso Robles...

Note: View the Superseding Indictment . ALBUQUERQUE – Towanda R. Thorne-James, 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 the results of a law enforcement operation that resulted in fifteen defendants being...