ALBANY, N.Y. - United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian announced his office reached a civil settlement with Dr. J. Louis Pecora, an Endicott, New York ophthalmologist, for $75,000.00. As part of the settlement, Dr. Pecora also voluntarily surrendered his Drug Enforcement (DEA) numbers, which enables physicians to prescribe controlled substances...

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Eight United States Postal Service employees at the Logistical and Distribution Priority Mail Processing Center in Bethpage, Long (“Bethpage L&DC”) were arrested last night and charged with theft of mail and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 129 pounds of marijuana over...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Two Pharr men have been arrested in a marijuana trafficking and money laundering conspiracy following an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task (OCDETF) investigation, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. John Robledo aka John Robledo...

MCALLEN, Texas - Mexican National Francisco Gonzalez-Contreras, 37, has been ordered to federal prison for his leadership role in a cocaine distribution ring, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. He pleaded guilty May 3, 2013. Today, U.S. District...

MCALLEN, Texas - Francisco Calderon, 28, and Jorge Alejandro Galvan-Ibarra, 30, have been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Both entered guilty...

LAREDO, Texas - A total of 10 Laredoans have entered guilty pleas related to a cocaine, crack and marijuana distribution conspiracy, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. On July 8, 2014, a federal grand jury returned a superseding...

MCALLEN, Texas - Jose Miguel Andrade-Rocha has been ordered to prison for transporting a load of marijuana and assaulting a Border (BP) agent who was attempting to arrest him, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. He pleaded...

MANHATTAN, N.Y. - Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New (SDNY), and Loretta E. Lynch, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New (EDNY), announced that Daniel Barrera Barrera, also known as “Loco Barrera,” a citizen of Colombia, pleaded guilty today in the...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Rafael Cardenas Vela has been ordered to prison for 20 years following his conviction related to his participation in a long term drug conspiracy, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson along with Special Agent in Charge...

WASHINGTON - One of the alleged leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a Mexican drug-trafficking cartel responsible for importing multi-ton quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, was extradited to the United States from Mexico on Nov. 15, 2014, and made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S...