PHOENIX - - On July 23, 2014, Ambrosio Nunez-Lopez, 65, of Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbellto 10 years in prison. Nunez-Lopez pleaded guilty on March 18, 2014 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a felony. The Organized...

SEATTLE - Today, seven people were charged in connection with explosions tied to the illegal and dangerous practice of extracting hash oil from marijuana. The explosions in Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle and Puyallup resulted in multiple injuries to innocent bystanders, some of whom were unaware of the illegal activity nearby. One...

ANCHORAGE - David Alan Gonzales, 55, was convicted on July 21, 2014, in a case involving the trafficking of methamphetamine in Anchorage. A federal trial jury found Gonzales guilty of drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. According to evidence presented at trial, Gonzales conspired to...

BOISE, Idaho - Martin Adam Hernandez, 23, of Nampa, Idaho, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. According to the plea agreement, Hernandez admitted that in February 2014, he traveled with co-defendant Jason Martin to California in order to obtain methamphetamine. On February 21...

SEATTLE - Three defendants were sentenced in U.S. District Court for their roles in a large scale oxycodone drug-trafficking and money laundering conspiracy operating between California and Alaska. "This multimillion dollar enterprise submerged Juneau in a sea of addiction,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Matthew G. Barnes. “The nationwide...

PORTLAND, Ore. - Rockie Morse, 40, of Sweet Home, Oregon, was indicted today for distribution of heroin that resulted in death. Also indicted, Tammy Tongate, alleged to be the Portland area source of supply, made her initial appearance in court last week. The federal charges were brought after an investigation...

PHOENIX - On June 18, 2014, the final defendant was sentenced in connection with Operation Clean Green - a multi-year investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service. Hector Raul Ortiz-Tarazon, Sr. and his son, Hector Francisco Ortiz, Jr. ran a drug trafficking (DTO) that shipped...

TUCSON, Ariz. - U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA)Special Agent in Charge, Doug Coleman, today announced the seizure of 89 pounds of white heroin and the arrest of seven defendants as part of an 11-month investigation. The seizure marks one of the state’s largest heroin busts. The investigation coined, “Operation Smack Talk”...

BOISE, Idaho - Michael Minas, 49, of Boise, Idaho, appeared on June 13, 2014, in federal court in Boise on an indictment charging him with 17 count of distributing a controlled substance. Minas was arrested on June 12, 2014, outside of his medical practice in Eagle. Trial is set for...

PHOENIX - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman today announced that o - n June 9, 2014, John Kweku Eshun, 52, of Ellenwood, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 41 months in prison. Eshun is the 12th and final defendant sentenced in...