ORLANDO, Fla. - Irving Cepeda-Chico (39, Kissimmee) was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for 12 counts of distribution of controlled substances and 1 count of conspiracy to distribute such substances. Cepeda-Chico had pleaded guilty on November 20, 2020. According to court documents, Cepeda-Chico was involved in obtaining and...

MIAMI - South Florida federal prosecutors have charged the leader of a notorious Mexican drug cartel and five others for their alleged roles in importing into the United States over 500 kilograms of Mexican methamphetamine. In the largest methamphetamine seizure in Miami-Dade County history, law enforcement agents seized the over...

ORLANDO, Fla. - Freddie Miguel Velez-Gonzalez (53, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin, and to six counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute controlled...

TAMPA, Fla. - Jason A. Crowder (42, Zephyrhills) was sentenced to 10 years and 1 month in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Crowder had pleaded guilty on December 8, 2020. According to court documents, on January 17, 2020, deputies from...

MIAMI – Carlton Cash (49, Fort Lauderdale, Florida) was sentenced to ten years in prison for distributing crystal methamphetamine. Cash holds an active Florida medical license. Cash was charged and convicted of selling over 150 grams of crystal methamphetamine in Broward County, Florida over an eight-month period starting in 2019...

TAMPA, Fla. – An indictment charging Gerardo Gomez-Lubo, a/k/a Francisco Niño (42, Colombia), with conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine knowing and intending it to be imported into the United States was unsealed today. If convicted on all counts, Gerardo Gomez-Lubo faces a maximum penalty of life in federal...

MIAMI - The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the public of a widespread fraud scheme in which telephone scammers impersonate DEA agents in an attempt to extort money or steal personal identifiable information. A new public service announcement aims to raise awareness that DEA will never phone demanding money or...

Tampa, Fla. - Marvin Lee Carter, Sr. (41, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to distributing controlled substances, which use resulted in serious bodily injury. Carter faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison. According to the plea agreement, on the Fourth of July weekend...

MIAMI - DEA Acting Administrator D. Christopher Evans today announced the release of the 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment, DEA’s annual publication outlining the threats posed to the United States by domestic and international drug trafficking and the abuse of illicit drugs. “This year’s report shows the harsh reality of...

MIAMI - Today, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration launched a new comprehensive law enforcement and prevention initiative aimed at reducing drug use, abuse, and overdose deaths. “Operation Engage” allows participating field divisions to focus on the biggest drug threat and resulting violence in their respective geographic areas. The initiative...