SEATTLE – On Oct. 26, DEA and over 4,400 law enforcement partners collected nearly 630,000 pounds of unused medications at 4,600 locations nationwide. This effort to empty medicine cabinets helps to prevent drug misuse before it starts. Since its inception, DEA’s National Prescription Take Back Day has removed nearly 19.2...

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE MARTIN CHAVEZ-VALENCIA, 37, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport, to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking...

BOSTON – Nine men have been arrested for fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking. Ernesto Arberty Mendez Herrera, 43, of Roxbury; Ricky Junior Rodriguez Reynoso, 24, of Boston; Cristofel Baez Guerrero, 25, of Dorchester; Luis Castillo, 24, of Dorchester; Yomerli Mendez Arias, 22 , of Lawrence; Estarling Perez Almonte, 28, of...

BOSTON – Three men have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges in connection with the distribution of cocaine in Central Massachusetts. Luis Sastre Pagan, 37, of Puerto Rico and formally of Southbridge; Eric Rivera, 31, of Southbridge; and Miguel Lopez, 27, of Southbridge, were all indicted on...

BOSTON – A Boston man has been convicted by a federal jury in Boston of distributing fentanyl. An individual referred to as “John Doe” was convicted of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 28, 2025. Doe was charged...

Spokane, Washington – On October 30, 2024, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Brian Jesus Zazueta, age 23, of Sunnyside, Washington, to 160 months in federal prison on drug trafficking charges. Judge Rice also imposed 5 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at...

BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a $1,125,000 settlement with Covetrus North America, LLC (Covetrus NA) to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Covetrus NA, headquartered in Portland, Maine, is a company that distributes veterinary medicine to customers worldwide. Under the settlement...

BOSTON – A Texas man pleaded guilty yesterday to a drug conspiracy involving the distribution of oxycodone pills across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond. Christan Russell, 33, of Tomball, Texas pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills and...

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JASON FABEL, 46, of Middletown, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking methamphetamine. According to...

WATERBURY, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JESUS MALDONADO, also known as “Zeus,” 34, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for...