SAN DIEGO –Escondido pain clinic doctor Bradley Chesler, M.D., has paid the United States $153,000 to resolve allegations that he overprescribed opioids. Dr. Chesler is a board-certified physiatrist who operates a pain clinic in Escondido, California. This settlement stems from the United States’ investigation into whether Dr. Chesler illegally prescribed...

WASHINGTON – A Houston-area pain clinic owner and a clinic employee who posed as a physician were sentenced to 240 months and 96 months in prison, respectively, today for their roles at a “pill mill” where they and their coconspirator illegally prescribed hundreds of thousands of doses of opioids and...

Federal, state and local authorities have arrested eight individuals on federal drug trafficking charges, including 41-year-old Texas Syndicate Lieutenant Hilario Nieto who previously received a pardon from President Barack Obama, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division; U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer...

Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 13 individuals, including current and former University of Texas (UT) students, charged in connection with trafficking LSD, fentanyl and methamphetamine pills to UT students in Austin. That announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent...

SAN DIEGO – Three Mexican nationals suspected of trafficking huge quantities of illicit drugs for the Sinaloa Cartel were charged in federal court today in connection with what is believed to be the largest single seizure of cash, narcotics and ammunition in this district. Jesus Burgos Arias, Juan Alatorre Venegas...

HOUSTON – A 28-year-old Mexican citizen who illegally resided in Houston is set to appear in federal court on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute meth, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Eduardo Leon-Mata...

BEAUMONT, Texas - Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Stephen Cox of the Eastern District of Texas today announced the expansion of the Criminal Division, Fraud Section’s existing Gulf Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force to include the Eastern District...

HOUSTON – A total of eight people have been taken into custody on charges involving a five-year drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Federal authorities arrested Houston residents Brenda Natalie...

BEAUMONT, Texas — A 43-year-old physician practicing in Beaumont has been found guilty of federal health care fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox. Grigoriy T. Rodonaia, of Port...

SAN DIEGO – DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day brought in nearly a million pounds of unused, expired, and unwanted medications across the country, the largest amount ever collected in the program’s ten years. Americans once again showed their dedication to remove prescription pills from their homes to prevent...