DEA Archived Press Releases

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

U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA Announce Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force

Baltimore, Maryland – Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, announced that their agencies have formed the Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force (“MFFOTF”). The alarming rate of overdoses in Maryland has...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Washington Division Calls on the Community to Have Important Conversations on Dangers of Drugs and Fake Pills in Back-To-School Routines

Washington, DC – As schools in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia open their doors to students and teachers this month, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division is urging the community to have important conversations about the consequences of drug experimentation and misuse as the new school year...
PRESS RELEASE

Fentanyl Dealer Implicated in Two Fatal ODs Sentenced to 22+ Years in Prison

DALLAS, TX - A fentanyl dealer who admitted he was involved in at least three overdoses, two of them fatal, was sentenced Thursday to nearly 23 years in federal prison. Rhett Barclay, 23, was indicted in September 2023 and pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to possess with intent to...
PRESS RELEASE

Powerful Stories and Connections During DEA Washington Division’s 3rd Family Summit on Fentanyl

WASHINGTON, DC – On June 18, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division hosted their 3rd Family Summit in support of those who have lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV). In alignment with DEA's mission, the event aimed to provide opportunities...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Washington Division Saw a Surge of Over 250% in Fentanyl Pill Seizures in 2023

Washington, DC – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, which covers the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) confiscated more than 639,000 fentanyl pills and 189 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2023. This amount represents more than a three-fold increase in the number of fake pills laced with...
PRESS RELEASE

Maryland U.S. Attorney Recognizes the Contributions of Law Enforcement Partners to Reduce Violent Crime in 2023

Baltimore, Maryland – At a press conference earlier today, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, thanked federal, state and local law enforcement partners in the fight against violent crime in Maryland. The teamwork, community-based partnerships, and strategic law enforcement initiatives helped make a difference in reducing homicides in Baltimore in 2023...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Day Removes Almost 600,000 Pounds of Unneeded Prescription Medications Across the Country

WASHINGTON, DC – On October 28, 2023, the community once again emptied their medicine cabinets to help dispose of old, unwanted, and expired medications. Nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement partners collected 599,897 pounds of unneeded medications at 4,675 collection sites nationwide. Locally, the Washington Division, which includes the District...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Washington Division Holds Second Annual Family Summit on Fentanyl

WASHINGTON, DC – On October 6, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division hosted their 2nd Family Summit in support of those who have lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. The Summit was very emotional and educational to all those who attended...
PRESS RELEASE

Chickasha Man Sentenced to a Decade in Federal Prison for Distributing a Fentanyl Pill that Resulted in an Overdose

Oklahoma City, OK – Yesterday, Marcus Lamar Richardson, 23, of Chickasha, was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl. On November 15, 2022, Richardson was charged by Superseding Information with distribution of fentanyl. According to public record, on or about December 30, 2021, Richardson distributed...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Washington Division Encourages Back to School Drug Awareness and Education

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As students return to school across the DMV, the DEA's Washington Division urges families to have open conversations about the dangers of drug experimentation and use. “Our citizens, especially our youth, are being exposed to an illicit drug supply that is more dangerous than ever before, making...