ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The final defendant in a Southeast Alaska drug trafficking conspiracy pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic drugs and launder money connected to a transnational drug trafficking enterprise. According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized a suspicious package addressed to Patricia Seal-Uttke...

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FULGENCIO CARDENAS-RIVERA (“CARDENAS-RIVERA”), age 35, a resident of Houston, Texas, pled guilty on April 15, 2025, before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to possession, with intent to distribute, five hundred (500) grams or more of cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According...

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SAUL MACEDO-RODRIGUEZ (“MACEDO-RODRIGUEZ”), age 38, a resident of Texas, was sentenced on April 30, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of...

CHICAGO — Sheila Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois announced that James Howard, 32, of Frankfort, Illinois, and Shantel Robinson, 31, of Oak Lawn, Illinois, were charged with drug conspiracy. Federal...

Spokane, Wash. – Jose Efrain Gonzalez-Rodriguez, age 24, of Mexico, who was unlawfully present in the United States, was sentenced after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and firearm charges. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 120 months in prison to be followed by 5 years...

BOSTON – A Colombian man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering organization that laundered more than $6 million in drug trafficking proceeds from Colombian cartels through the United States, Caribbean and European banking systems. Jaime Humberto Mejia-Bencardino, 62, was...

BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty to his involvement in money laundering and cocaine conspiracies. Victor Berroa Mercedes, 32, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled...

BURLINGTON, VT. – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that on June 9, 2025, Kajuan Woods, 36, of Brooklyn, New York was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 47 months of imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Woods...

BOSTON – A Mexican man, and member of a Tijuana-based Sinaloa Cartel cell, pleaded guilty to his role in a cocaine and money laundering conspiracy. Eber Alain Estrada Palafox, also known as “Doctor”, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, one count of conspiracy to distribute...

BOSTON – A Webster man has been sentenced for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed cocaine. Angel Delgado, 47, was sentenced on May 29, 2025, by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to seven years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised...