YAKIMA, Wash. – On February 10, 2025, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Santiago Rojas-Rangel (“Charapo”), age 51, of Mexico, to 151 months in prison on methamphetamine distribution charges. Judge Dimke also imposed 5 years of supervised release. When imposing the sentence, Judge Dimke noted Rojas-Rangel’s “complete and...

JUNEAU, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last month charging a Washington man with distributing and conspiring to distribute controlled substances that resulted in the fatal overdoses of two people in Skagway in 2023. According to court documents, from Jan. 1 to Jan. 13, 2023...

BOISE, Idaho – Robert Paul Anthony Aragon, 31, of California, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. According to court records, Aragon was stopped for a traffic violation in Owyhee County. During the stop, a K9 trained in the detection...

NEW ORLEANS – With so much attention ahead of Sunday’s big game, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is once again teaming up with NFL Alumni Health to encourage football fans to join us in the fight to save lives. The need is critical and the game plan simple: understand the...

TACOMA, Wash. – Two members of drug trafficking organizations linked to Aryan prison gangs were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to twelve- and seven-year prison terms, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Eric Smith,54, of Tacoma, was sentenced to twelve years in prison and Sara Thompson, 39...

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Ayana R. Bacon, 25, of Box Elder, Montana, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court records, Bacon was a passenger in a car which was stopped in Shoshone County, Idaho on September 22...

Tacoma, Wash. – The leader of a South Puget Sound drug trafficking organization that sent dangerous drugs as far away as Georgia and Ohio was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to ten years in prison for his multi-state drug trafficking scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week charging three Kodiak residents with drug trafficking crimes in Alaska, including distributing fentanyl which resulted in a fatal overdose. According to court documents, between February 2022 and July 2023, Ashley Katelnikoff, 37, and Gerry Pugal, 37...

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration has announced the appointment of Derek S. Maltz as Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Maltz replaces Anne Milgram who departed the agency last week. Maltz is a passionate, dedicated, career special agent who served 28 years at DEA before retiring in 2014...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is announcing three new rules to make permanent some temporary telemedicine flexibilities established during the COVID-19 public health emergency while also establishing new patient protections. In developing these rules, DEA has focused on the patient to ensure telemedicine is accessible for medical care...