SAN FRANCISCO – Emil Arriola Melendez was sentenced in federal court today to 46 months in prison for the distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. Senior United States District Judge Maxine M. Chesney handed...

FRESNO, Calif. —Albert Dominguez Jr., 52, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon announced. According to court documents, Dominguez conspired with Leonor Sarabia-Ramirez, 52, of Modesto, to distribute and did, in...

WASHINGTON – On April 30, 2022, communities across the country demonstrated their support for DEA’s annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by dropping off more than 720,000 pounds of unneeded medications at 5,144 collection sites. Since 2010, DEA, along with its law enforcement partners, has collected nearly 16 million...

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Victor Nevarez, Juan Rivera Arzate, Adhemar Castaneda Becerril, and Pedro Gaona Salse were four of six charged defendants arrested and arraigned last week in federal court on narcotics trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade...

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Office of the United States Attorney filed federal criminal complaints charging Benjamin Reily Bliss; Louis Alexander, aka “lulu;” and Brandon William Carranza-Arthur with crimes related to the distribution of fentanyl to high school students in Monterey County. The charges were announced by Drug Enforcement Administration...

WASHINGTON – In an effort to save lives, DEA is proud to join “Song for Charlie” and many of our valued public health, non-profit, and law enforcement partners in recognizing the first ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This day is an effort to educate individuals around the dangerous threat that...

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced today that it has reached an agreement in principle to settle Garcia, et al. v. Merrick Garland, Attorney General, Dep’t of Justice, a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of female Special Agents who were not selected for overseas assignments between 1990...

FRESNO, Calif. — Renato Aguilera, 30, of Porterville, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon announced. Another member of the conspiracy, Maria Delgado...

SAN FRANCISCO – The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This bi-annual event offers free, anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. “Disposing of unneeded medications can...

FRESNO, Calif. — Six people were arrested in Kern County today following a year-long investigation of a Bakersfield-based drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine and heroin. The defendants are scheduled to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila K. Oberto on Wednesday, April 27, at 2:00 p.m. Those...