Baltimore, Md., – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Dwight Antonio Pitts, age 47, of Hanover, Maryland, to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his participation in a drug distribution conspiracy involving large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs, shipped...

NORFOLK, Va. – A Kennewick, Washington, man was sentenced today to 145 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine. According to court documents, Juan Gabriel Rodriguez-Preciado, 44, facilitated the trafficking of kilogram quantities of cocaine between a Mexican cartel...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging twelve members and associates of “La Mara Salvatrucha”, or MS-13, with a variety of offenses based on their involvement in racketeering, drug trafficking, and a series of murders. Those charged in the indictment are: Name Age Gang...

Baltimore, Md., – John Cooley, age 20, of Nottingham, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The guilty plea was announced by Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division; United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Special...

WASHINGTON – Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced their new initiative -- Operation Overdrive -- aimed at combatting the rising rates of drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths plaguing American communities. In January, the DEA Washington Division announced their new data-driven approach to combatting violent crime and overdose deaths...

ABINGDON, Va. – A Greenville, South Carolina man, who formerly resided in Bristol, Virginia, pleaded guilty last week to distributing methamphetamine, international money laundering, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiring to obstruct justice. According to court documents, Joshua Desorcy, 36, was directly responsible for...

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – On Wednesday, a federal jury convicted two individuals on charges relating to drug trafficking and money laundering. “As the evidence at trial showed, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of their drug trafficking crimes on behalf of a network of conspirators that...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging twelve members and associates of “La Mara Salvatrucha”, or MS-13, with a variety of offenses based on their involvement in racketeering, drug trafficking, and a series of murders. Those charged in the indictment are: Name Age Gang...

RICHMOND, Va. – A Guatemalan national was sentenced today to 172 months in prison for his role as a maritime transportation manager in a large-scale Guatemalan drug trafficking organization (DTO). According to court documents, beginning in 2016, Amilcar Chavez-Barrera, 42, conspired to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine for distribution...

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man, who was the 25th defendant associated with Operation High Tide, was sentenced today for his role in trafficking firearms and selling heroin. According to court documents, in 2017, Shon E. Melton, 32, of Portsmouth, was attributed with trafficking 19 firearms, including a concealable short...