ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, and Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Rafael Columbie was sentenced to 10 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Columbie, 54, of...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of and filing of charges against Dr. Arash Padidar, a Santa Clara County doctor accused of illegally prescribing opioids to patients. The arrest and charges are the result of an investigation into an alleged two-years-long illegal prescription...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 23-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 210 grams of meth, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jacob Soliz...

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration will host public listening sessions to receive comments from healthcare practitioners, experts, advocates, patients, and other members of the public to inform DEA’s regulations on prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine. The listening sessions will be held in person and livestreamed with remote participation available...

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A California man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and heroin to a narcotics dealer through the mail. According to court documents, in May 2019, Charles Trevino, 50, mailed over 1,300 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine and over 220 grams of heroin...

ST. LOUIS – A woman who worked for a pet food company in Montgomery City, Missouri, admitted fraudulently obtaining pain pills meant for animals on Friday. Mackenzie Noel Deeker, 39, of Montgomery County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk to a felony count of...

CHICAGO — Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois announced that a physician assistant who formerly worked at a Chicago medical practice has been charged in federal court with fraudulently...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Eric Castañeda, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, and Francisco B. Burrola, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and Jeffrey C. Boshek II...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a registered nurse who stole fentanyl from the hospital where she worked to three years of probation, 200 hours of public service work and a $5,000 fine. Judge Limbaugh also ordered Lindsey M. Francis, 35, to...

NEWARK, N.J. – Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division Cheryl Ortiz and Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on July 25, 2023, Maria F. Macburnie, aka Marife L. Macburnie, 62, of Toms River, was charged with Practicing Medicine by an Unlicensed...