Albuquerque, New Mexico – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Field Division and United Against Fentanyl (UAF) Rio Rancho Chapter will host a local Walk for Lives 2026 event at Haynes Community Center and Park on July 11, 2026 from 4-6 p.m. in support of DEA’s Fentanyl Free America...

El Paso, Texas – DEA and its local law enforcement partners collected 4,796 pounds of unused medications during the 30th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 25, 2026. “I had the pleasure of visiting multiple locations in El Paso and saw the overwhelming response from our community,” said...

Note: View the Civil Complaint ALBUQUERQUE – The United States has filed a civil complaint in federal court alleging that a New Mexico psychologist unlawfully prescribed controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose, in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. In a complaint filed in federal court, the United States...

EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in federal court to 188 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl causing death, announced Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's El Paso Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According...

EL PASO, Texas – Dr. Brian August, located in El Paso, has agreed to pay $200,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act, the False Claims Act, and the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act. The allegations involved the issuance of 255 controlled substance prescriptions to...

SAN DIEGO – OptumRx Inc., a prescription drug benefit provider, has agreed to pay $20 million to resolve allegations that it improperly filled certain opioid prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. The settlement resolves an investigation initiated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) into whether, between April 2013...

SAN DIEGO – Palomar Health, a California public health care district located in San Diego County, has paid $250,000 to resolve allegations of diversion of fentanyl from one of its facilities and failure to keep accurate records for fentanyl. Palomar Health is California’s largest health care district, with campuses in...

El Paso – Together with its law enforcement partners, the Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 26th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event aims to remove unneeded prescriptions from homes to help prevent medication misuse by offering anonymous...

SAN DIEGO - Dr. David J. Smith, a pain management physician, and his office manager, Julia Ann Oertle, are charged in a federal grand-jury indictment with perpetuating a long-running scheme to commit healthcare fraud and to manufacture and distribute adulterated fentanyl. Smith made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Joe’s Pharmacy of Peralta, New Mexico, has agreed to pay to the United States $50,000 representing civil penalties under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The agreement settles civil claims against Joe’s Pharmacy...