United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FRESNO, Calif. - Ramany Puthavongsa, 48, of Fresno, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to three years and 10 months in prison for growing marijuana in Merced County, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. According...

FRESNO, Calif. - Saelee Fahn Meng, aka Kathy Ming Lee, 54, and her husband, John Yaohinh Lee, 54, of Waterford, Calif., entered guilty pleas today for their involvement in growing 491 marijuana plants on their strawberry farm near Waterford High School, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment yesterday, charging Mark Bowden, 33, of Penn Valley, with another count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today. This case is...

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today charging Fillmore residents Ruben Avila-Angulo, 40, and Antonio Barocio-Valencia, 60, with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced...

LUBBOCK, Texas - A pilot and his passenger, who belly landed their Beechcraft plane at the Yoakum County Airport on April 30, 2013, appeared this morning before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings and pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge. Pilot Gregory Thomas, 50, of Sacramento, California, and his...

FRESNO, Calif. - A Fresno man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for growing marijuana on agricultural land, and five newly charged defendants face possible long prison terms for growing marijuana in Fresno County, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced...

FRESNO, Calif. - Vincent Graves, 53, and Herman Graves, 46, both of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to their involvement in a drug ring that shipped marijuana grown in rural Fresno to Birmingham, Ala., Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Vincent...

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...