ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Luis Carlos Vásquez-Barragán, 51, of Nicolás Bravo, Chihuahua, Mexico, was sentenced to prison for possession with intent to distribute at least 50 kilograms but less than 100 kilograms of marijuana. Vásquez-Barragán was arrested...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Richard Orlinski “Sugar” Sanchez, 44, of Dexter, New Mexico, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Oct. 12. On Aug. 26, 2021, Sanchez pleaded guilty to: one count of conspiracy to distribute...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Joe’s Pharmacy of Peralta, New Mexico, has agreed to pay to the United States $50,000 representing civil penalties under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The agreement settles civil claims against Joe’s Pharmacy...

EL PASO – Last week, the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (NM HIDTA) received a national recognition for its work in southeastern New Mexico under Operation Shape Shifter. White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Dr. Rahul Gupta made the announcement. The NM HIDTA...

El Paso – In an effort to save lives, DEA is proud to join “Song for Charlie” and other valued public health, non-profit, and law enforcement partners in recognizing the first ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This day is an effort to educate individuals around the dangerous threat that fentanyl...

EL PASO, Texas – Dr. Herbert Nassour, a former physician in El Paso, has agreed to pay $350,000 under a civil settlement to resolve allegations he violated certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Dr. Nassour was a physician registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to prescribe and...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Mark Beale, 75, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, pleaded guilty on March 25 in federal court to unlawful dispensing and distributing of a schedule II controlled substance. Beale will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing. A federal grand jury indicted Beale on June 23, 2021. According...

EL PASO – A Mexican national was sentenced today to life in prison and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine for his role in the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations. According to court documents, Mario Iglesias-Villegas, aka “Dos,” “El 2,” “Delta,” “Parka,” “Grim Reaper,” 37, of Villa Ahumada, became a member of...

EL PASO – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division has a new Special Agent in Charge (SAC). On Friday Feb. 18, 2022, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram named Greg Millard as the new SAC of the El Paso Division, which serves New Mexico and West Texas. Millard came to El...

ALBUQERQUE, N.M. – Fred J. Federici, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, has announced that Ready Pharmacy has agreed to a $400,000 settlement relating to civil claims brought by the Department of Justice on behalf of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) El Paso Division Regulatory Diversion Group...