DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
12 Results - Showing 1 to 10
PRESS RELEASE

CEO of Nigerian Airline indicted for bank fraud and money laundering

ATLANTA – Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged with bank fraud and money laundering for moving more than $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts in a scheme involving false documents based on the purchase of...
PRESS RELEASE

Hickory, N.C., man sentenced to more than 10 years for drug trafficking and firearms offenses

STATESVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Tevin Jerome Gaither, 29, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 123 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug trafficking and firearms offenses, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Andrew Murray. U.S...
PRESS RELEASE

Drug Trafficking Indictments Bring Multiple Federal Charges for Narcotics, Firearms

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Eight people have been charged in a 13-count federal indictment in a drug trafficking conspiracy that brought large amounts of narcotics from Atlanta for distribution in the Augusta area. The indictments stem from a two-year joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office...
PRESS RELEASE

Hephzibah man admits drug charges in court plea

AUGUSTA, Ga.: A Hephzibah man has admitted owning a stash of drugs and a handgun that led to his arrest on federal charges. In United States District Court on Wednesday, July 10, Eric Bernard Ferguson, 37, of Hephzibah pled guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine...
PRESS RELEASE

Two men indicted for importing cocaine in Port of Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Two men have been charged in a four-count federal indictment for the June 2019 shipment of more than 45 pounds of cocaine through the Port of Savannah. Jimmy Alexander Pujols , aka “El Gallo,” 35, and Fausto Mendez Ramos, aka “Rudy Reyes Polanco,” 40, are charged with...
PRESS RELEASE

Drug conspiracy leader sentenced to over 10 years

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Chief U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced today David Flores, 35, of Dallas, Texas, to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release on drug conspiracy charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Andrew Murray. DEA Atlanta Division Special Agent...
PRESS RELEASE

Cocaine seizures bring recent port of Savannah totals to more than $53 million

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Renewed action to scrutinize shipments into the growing Port of Savannah have led to significant recent drug seizures, including two arrests and more than 20 kilos of cocaine seized in a weekend raid at an Augusta warehouse. Jimmy Alexander Pujols, 35, and Fausto Mendez Ramos, 40, are...
PRESS RELEASE

Lead defendant gets 20 years in major Statesboro drug trafficking investigation

SAVANNAH, Ga. The lead defendant in a Statesboro drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Natividad Dias , a/k/a “Nat,” “Nate,” “Amigo” or “Huevos,” 46, a Mexican national who lived in Sylvania, Ga., was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District...
PRESS RELEASE

Cartel transportation head sentenced to federal prison

ATLANTA - Carlos Montemayor, the head of the U.S. arm of the cocaine transportation and distribution network of Edgar Valdez-Villareal, a/k/a La Barbie, has been sentenced to federal prison on charges of cocaine trafficking and money laundering. Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the United States Drug...
PRESS RELEASE

Law enforcement dismantles drug ring operating in Asheville

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – United States Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that law enforcement have dismantled a drug ring operating in Asheville, charging eight of its members with drug conspiracy and drug and firearm-related offenses. The 35-count criminal indictment was returned by the federal grand jury on April 2, 2019, and...