SACRAMENTO, Calif. - On August 31, 2017, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Elijah Lee Richter, 26, of Camino, charging him with distribution of a controlled substance known as 25i-nBOME that caused death, and possession of a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to...

SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California entered judgment against fugitive defendant Candelaria Dagandan Vazquez and her surety Candelaria Antoinette Sapp in the amount of $50,000, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and DEA Special Agent-in-Charge John J. Martin. The Honorable Susan Illston...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Chi Meng Yang, 31, of Montague, and his sister Gaosheng Laitinen, 36, of Mt. Shasta, were charged today for conspiring to commit bribery, bribery of a public official, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, and manufacturing marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to the criminal complaint, on...

BOSTON - Two Yarmouthport brothers, a Dominican national, and a Boston man were charged with running a large-scale heroin and fentanyl trafficking operation in Boston and on Cape Cod. Hundreds of fentanyl pills designed to look like oxycodone pills were allegedly trafficked by the defendants. Alex Fraga, 25, the proprietor...

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against Omar Manuel Ramirez, 34, of Fresno, charging him with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, manufacture of marijuana, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John J...

FRESNO, Calif. - Timothy Ortiz, aka Michael Fitton, 46, of Waukegan, Illinois, pled guilty today for his role in a large-scale smokeable synthetic cannabinoids trafficking organization that shipped misbranded synthetic drugs interstate from a processing lab in Millbrae, California, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Smokeable synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known...

FRESNO, Calif. - Ramsey Jeries Farraj, 41, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for conspiring with his former business partner, Majed Bashir “Mike” Akroush, 49, also of Bakersfield, to structure $4,204,965 obtained from the sale of smokeable synthetic drugs, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Smokable...

FRESNO, Calif. - Two former deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office were sentenced today for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Logan August, 30, of Bakersfield, to three years’ probation, $16,200...

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Omar Felix-Corrales, 38, and Valeria Silvas Villarreal, 23, both of Mexico, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, and Felix-Corrales alone with possession of a firearm in relation to a drug...

BOSTON - Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA’s New England Division and Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb announced that Eric Matos, 37, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 121 months in prison and three...