United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FRESNO, Calif. - Catatea James, 47, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting structuring, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Structuring is splitting up bank deposits to keep them under a $10,000 threshold in order to avoid the...

FRESNO, Calif.) - Three marijuana cultivators in Fresno County pleaded guilty and one was sentenced today for their involvement in separate large-scale marijuana cultivation operations in Fresno County, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. 1,429 Marijuana Plants Seized in Squaw (Case...

FRESNO, Calif. - The owner of two commercial office buildings in Bakersfield has paid $1,675,000 to the United States to resolve claims that the buildings were used to house marijuana retail stores and large-scale indoor marijuana cultivation operations, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today, charging San Jose residents Jose Angel Martinez Chairez, 38; Angel Avilio Martinez-Diaz, 26; Jose Maria Villareal, 24; and Sunnyvale resident Jose Luis Ramirez Verduzco, 27, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Three used car salesmen have entered guilty pleas for their roles in selling cars to drug traffickers in an effort to launder drug proceeds, announced United States Attorney Edward L. Stanton III. Wayne David McAlpin, Jr., 50, of Memphis, TN pleaded guilty to one count of money...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Thirty men and women have been charged to date with methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses as a result of Operation “Dixie Crystal,” announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. To date, 17 defendants have pleaded guilty to the charges. Operation “Dixie...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned a multi-count indictment yesterday charging John Wesley Lane, 33, and Kelsey Ann Lane, 26, both of Anderson, California, with manufacturing and distributing...

FRESNO, Calif. - Gonzalo Esquivel, aka Gunner, 34, and Efren Steve Jiminez, aka Grande, 33, both of Los Banos; Kenneth Hernandez, aka Kenny, 30, of Dos Palos; Gustavo Moreno, aka Gus Gus, 33, and David Torres, 33, both of Madera pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine before the...

FRESNO, Calif. - Sergio Hector Aguilar, aka Sergio Perez, 46, of Bakersfield, Calif., was sentenced today to 7 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and committing this crime while under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for...

FRESNO, Calif. - Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that David Chavez, Sr., 53, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today in front of United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii, after pleading guilty December 17, 2012 to conspiring...