BOSTON – Northeast Hospital Corporation (Northeast), part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, has agreed to pay $1.9 million in civil penalties to resolve allegations that Northeast violated the Controlled Substance Act (the CSA) by failing to keep accurate records of controlled substances, including opioids. The CSA requires accurate inventorying and...

BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty on Dec. 5, 2022 to distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Johanny Torres-Rojas, 56, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. U.S...

DENVER – On Friday, December 2, 2022, the DEA Rocky Mountain Division, in coordination with the Rocky Mountain HIDTA Front Range Task Force (FRTF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver Division, and the Longmont Police Department Special Investigations Unit (SIU) seized almost 45 pounds of a fentanyl and cocaine mixture and...

PEORIA, Ill. – Todd C. Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at Drug Enforcement Administration-Chicago Division, and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris of the Central District of Illinois announced that a federal jury returned guilty verdicts on Dec. 1, 2022, against Harold U. McGhee, 48, of Peoria, Illinois, for the...

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. - The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Jonathan Castro, a.k.a. “Jose,” 33, of Springfield, Vermont and Springfield, Massachusetts; Anibal Castro, Sr., a.k.a. “Papi,” 54, of Springfield, Vermont; and Derek Arie, 34, of Springfield, Vermont were indicted yesterday by a...

TAMPA , F la. – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that a federal jury has found Justin Kelly (35, New Port Richey) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl resulting in death, distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, three counts of possession/distribution of fentanyl, and possessing...

SEATTLE – Six members of a drug distribution conspiracy operating in Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties are charged federally with various drug and firearms crimes. On Wednesday, in searches of eight locations in Whatcom and Snohomish Counties, law enforcement seized: 85,000 fentanyl pills, 2.3 kilograms fentanyl powder, 6.2 kilograms methamphetamine...

MIAMI — Anton Peck, 29, of Boca Raton, Fla., has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks to 16 years in prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Peck previously pled guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl...

BOSTON – A Lawrence man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to fentanyl distribution charges. Rafael Sierra-Baez, 42, pleaded guilty on Nov. 28, 2022 to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for March 28, 2023. Sierra-Baez...

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Wednesday sentenced a man from St. Louis County to 25 years in prison for a retaliatory drug murder in 2020. Cevone Weeden, now 26, fired at least 12 shots at Joel Phillips, 22, in the parking lot of a McDonald’s...