United States Drug Enforcement Administration

OAKLAND, Calif. – Jose Luis Garcia, the co-owner of Envios Express, a money transmitting business in Oakland, was sentenced this week to 12 months in federal prison. The Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., United States District Judge, handed down the sentence on Jan. 15, 2025. Garcia, 57, of Oakland, was...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States has filed a civil complaint against nurse practitioner Joan Rubinger, registered in Stockton, that alleges a long-running nationwide scheme to sell illegal opioid prescriptions for cash, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced. The...

SAN FRANCISCO – The government of Honduras extradited Gustavo Erazo, a Honduran national, to the United States this week to appear on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the San Francisco Bay Area. The extradition marks the sixth extradition of...

LOS ANGELES – A Palmdale man already facing one charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death has been charged by federal grand jury indictment with an additional count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death related to the death of a Palmdale man in August, the Justice Department announced...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ronald Yandell, 62, of Pinole, and William Sylvester, 56, of Norco, were each sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to two consecutive life terms in prison for murder in aid of racketeering and various other RICO-related crimes, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Robert Charles Crist, 58, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm and manufacturing a controlled substance, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris and United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on Sept...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jamar Deontae Barnes, 42, of Stockton, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine-laced pills, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris...

FRESNO, Calif. — Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 49, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for illegally distributing oxycodone and hydrocodone. Ntukogu was a pharmacist in Madera who dispensed more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions, all in exchange for cash...

LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man has been arraigned on an indictment alleging he distributed protonitazene – a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl – which resulted in a victim’s fatal overdose this spring, the Justice Department announced today. Benjamin Anthony Collins...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kavieo Daeshaun Lee Wiley, 28, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and U-47700 (a synthetic opioid), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of...