BRUNSWICK, GA – A newly unsealed federal indictment charges 14 defendants in a South Georgia drug trafficking conspiracy alleged to have been directed from inside a Georgia state prison. The indictment in Operation Pope’s G.O.A.L., an Organized Crime Drug Trafficking Task Force investigation, alleges the drug trafficking conspiracy distributed methamphetamine...

OMAHA, Neb.–Investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division seized approximately 32,000 fake pills in Omaha, some laced with lethal doses of fentanyl, in a two-day span beginning July 8. During the first six months of 2022, DEA investigators seized approximately 151,500 pills in Nebraska, marking an 83 percent...

Baltimore, Md. – Thamar Smith, age 48, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. The guilty plea was announced by Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)'s Washington Division; United States Attorney for the District...

SAN DIEGO – Approximately 50,000 fake pills containing fentanyl were seized in a single enforcement operation in San Diego on June 28, 2022. Investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Narcotic Task Force (NTF) and the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) worked together to prevent the fake pills from being distributed...

Baltimore, Md. – Juawan Davis, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. Following his guilty plea, U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Davis to 13 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. The sentence was announced...

SEATTLE – The Arlington, Washington based leader of a prolific and violent drug trafficking ring pleaded guilty this week to federal drug, gun, and money laundering crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Cesar Valdez-Sanudo, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and carrying...

FRESNO, Calif. — Adrian Rodriguez Cardenas, 22, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to six years in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon announced. According to court documents, on Jan. 11, 2021, Cardenas negotiated with...

SAN DIEGO – A two-year investigation has led to the indictment of 26 defendants for international drug smuggling, drug trafficking, and related conspiracy offenses. One of the defendants, Raul Barajas-Padilla, appeared in federal court yesterday for an initial appearance on the indictment. So far, 17 defendants have been arrested. Efforts...

DALLAS, TX - Fourteen alleged methamphetamine traffickers were arrested on Wednesday in Operation Kullvid-20, to announced Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. Led by the DEA’s North Texas Strike Force, the investigation has netted a total of 40 federal defendants plus 2,708 kilograms...

Baltimore, Md. – Yesterday a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Juan Hester, a/k/a “Q,” age 40, and Davon Rogers, a/k/a “Stew,” age 39, both of Baltimore, with the attempted murder of a federal Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) agent; with using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in...