SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Dixon, Mo., woman has been sentenced in federal court for possessing methamphetamine to distribute. Connie M. Gonzales, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Aug. 31, 2023, to 23 years in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 17, 2022, Gonzales pleaded guilty to...

AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man and two co-conspirators were sentenced in a federal court in Austin for their roles in the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. According to court documents, David Lee Jr., 46, of Austin, Virginia Zepeda, 43, of Austin, and Jackie Lynne Chester, 37, of Taylor...

LAREDO, Texas – A 35-year-old Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer working at the Port of Entry in Laredo has been arrested, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Emanuel Celedon is set to make...

ST. LOUIS – A man from Lake St. Louis, Missouri, on Monday admitted laundering money for methamphetamine dealers operating in the St. Louis area. Melvin Hayes, 66, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to misprision of a felony. Hayes admitted working on behalf of Demond Bernard McDaniels...

HOUSTON – A Texas doctor has been sentenced to seven years in prison for operating a pill mill clinic that unlawfully prescribed over 600,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash. A federal jury convicted Dr. Oscar Lightner, 73, Laredo, April 11 of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances and conspiracy...

PLANO, Texas – A Laredo man pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas on the day his jury trial was set to begin, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Damien M...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Huntington Park, California, man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing 2.6 pounds of cocaine, which he carried hidden in a suitcase while travelling by bus through Kansas City, Mo. Alan E. Sanchez, 29, was sentenced to eight years and one month in federal...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old man has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than four kilograms of cocaine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On Oct. 4, Elias Garcia attempted...

LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old man has been sentenced for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jose Pedro Garcia pleaded guilty Aug. 8. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Blue Springs, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Kenneth James Paulson, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. On Nov. 16, 2022, Paulson pleaded...