EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The ringleader of a Houston-based cocaine trafficking operation has been sentenced in the Southern District of Illinois to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, bringing to a successful close an investigation and prosecution that spanned several states and more than five years. Samuel Ruben...

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced two men who helped violent drug traffickers try to avoid prosecution to lengthy prison terms. Michael Grady, 67, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 18 years and 10 months in prison and Oscar Dillon III, 48, of St...

TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Jamaar Charles Samuels, 39, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 72 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Last summer, Judge Rash sentenced Samuels’ co-defendant, Patrick Michael La Fever, 60, also of Tucson, to 97...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sixteen residents of Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City, Kan., and Independence, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Ublester Molina, 26, Kevin O. Alarcon, 25, Rocky Orozco, 30, Salvador Valdivia, 40, Stephen...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Nixa woman who led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase at night with no headlights was sentenced in federal court today for trafficking methamphetamine. Gina N. Nunez, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years in federal prison without parole...

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Tuesday sentenced a man from California to 30 years in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering. Lester A. “Unc” Bull, 58, pleaded guilty in February to a drug conspiracy charge, money laundering, possession of a firearm in furtherance of...

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a St. Louis County man to 10 years in prison for drug and gun crimes. Bryant Taylor, 31, sold oxycodone, heroin and fentanyl to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration Agent and a person working for the DEA in...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Twenty Mexican nationals are among 39 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin over the past two years. “This operation took a significant amount of...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Six Springfield, Mo., and Rogersville, Mo., residents have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in a scheme to transport tens of thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines as part of a multi-million-dollar business. Evan Marshall, 24, of Rogersville, pleaded guilty today before U.S...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Texas man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms. Tanner Houghton, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on June 14 to 25 years in federal prison without parole. On Oct...