NEW ORLEANS – The Drug Enforcement Administration is alerting the public of dangerous counterfeit pills killing Americans. Mexican drug cartels are manufacturing mass quantities of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid that is lethal in minute doses, for distribution throughout North America. Based on a sampling of...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Rhiannon Rader, 34, of Fern Park, Fla., has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, hydrocodone and alprazolam, also known as Xanax. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, as...

NEW ORLEANS – With robust public participation over the course of 17 prior events, the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative continues to remove ever-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they are vulnerable to misuse, theft or abuse by family members and visitors...

GULFPORT, Miss. – The Drug Enforcement Administration announced David Quevedo Martinez, 40, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by a senior U.S. district judge to life in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Martinez was also ordered to pay a...

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A joint federal, state, and local law enforcement initiative has resulted in the arrests of 36 individuals on a variety of criminal charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering, using communication facilities to facilitate drug trafficking and various firearms offenses, announced the Drug Enforcement Administration. The majority of...

ORLANDO, Fla. - Sebastian Denton Zayas, age 30, of Orlando was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Denton pleaded guilty on July 22, 2019. According to court documents and statements made during today’s sentencing hearing, in May 2019...

OCALA, Fla. - Cesar Osiris DeLeon-Castillo, age 36, of Clermont, and Jefry Agustin Valerio-Perez, age 39, of Orlando, were sentenced to five years and four years and nine months in federal prison, respectively, for possession with the intent to distribute one kilogram of heroin. DeLeon-Castillo and Valerio-Perez pleaded guilty in...

TAMPA, Fla. – Mario Marquez Roberson, age 28, of St. Petersburg was sentenced today to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for distribution of 4-flouroisobutyrl fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. Roberson had pleaded guilty on April 2, 2019. According to court documents, Roberson engaged in six transactions with an...

PENSACOLA, Fla – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging five defendants with federal drug trafficking offenses. The defendants are: • Kadeem Ingram, 29, DeFuniak Springs, Florida; • Kenneth Ingram, 59, DeFuniak Springs, Florida; • Terrell Burdette, 63, DeFuniak Springs, Florida; • Sidney McGhee, 30, DeFuniak Springs, Florida; and...

TAMPA, Fla. - A significant opioid enforcement operation across the Middle District of Florida was executed involving charges against five individuals for their alleged involvement in various conspiracies to illicitly obtain and distribute oxycodone and other controlled substances. Those charged are the following: United States v. Hong Truong Hong Truong...