PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dominik Israel Lopez, 24, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on November 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Krissa Lanham to 108 months of prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Lopez pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl, with death resulting. In March 2020...

Phoenix, Ariz. – Jose Guadalupe Tapia-Quintero, 54, of San Francisco de Tacuichamona, Sinaloa, Mexico pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025 for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine with Intent to Import into the United States and Conspiracy to Commit Concealment Money Laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2026, before United States...

TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Antonio Ornelas, Jr., 33, of Tucson, was sentenced on July 10, by United States District Court Judge Rosemary Márquez to 98 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Ornelas, Jr. previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. On October 3...

TUCSON, Ariz. – German Montano-Peralta, 33, of Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on May 12, 2025, by United States District Judge Angela Martinez to 88 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Montano-Peralta previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. On April 30, 2024...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Arizona residents turned in 6,257 pounds of unused medications during DEA’s 28th National Drug Take Back Day on April 26, 2025. Nationwide, 620,000 pounds of unused medications were turned in at nearly 4500 collection sites in effort to prevent drug misuse and abuse. Since its inception 16...

TUCSON, Ariz. – Armando Puentes-Melendez, 38, of Mexico, was sentenced on April 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 60 months in prison. Puentes-Melendez previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. On January 18, 2024, law enforcement agents intercepted a drug transaction involving over 100...

TUCSON, Ariz. –Sergio Humberto Ramos, 73, of Nogales, was sentenced last week by United States District Court Chief Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Ramos pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, admitting that he was paid...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Oct. 28, 2023, Arizona residents once again emptied their medicine cabinets to help dispose of old, unwanted, and expired medications. In total, DEA Arizona and its law enforcement partners collected 5,414 pounds of unneeded medications at 80 collection sites statewide. Nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement...

PHOENIX – On Oct. 29, 2022, communities across the country demonstrated their continued support for DEA’s bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by safely disposing of more than 647,000 pounds of unneeded medications at nearly 5,000 collection sites across the country. Since its inception in 2010, DEA’s National Prescription...