United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PHILADELPHIA - Chester (PA) District Attorney Tom Hogan announced arrests in Operation Tubería (translation, Operation Broken Pipeline). The joint federal and local operation was designed to attack the drug pipeline from Mexico that runs through Southern Chester County, resulting in multiple arrests for dealing cocaine. The final defendant was arrested...

PHILADELPHIA - Kermit Gosnell, 72, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty today to 12 counts in connection with running a pill mill out of his clinic located at 3801-3805 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia. Gosnell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including oxycodone, alprazolam, and codeine; distribution and aiding and abetting...

July 3, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 COLUMBUS, Ohio - James E. Johnston, a/k/a “Monk,” 50, of Columbus was sentenced to 72 months in prison, five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to forfeit three real estate properties located in Columbus for his role...

June 26, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - United States Attorney David J. Hale announced the sentencing of the last of 21 defendants prosecuted in a large marijuana distribution ring operating from June 2008 to February 2010, in Warren County, Kentucky. Senior Judge Thomas...

June 26, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - James D. Orr, 75, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Thomas N. Verhage, 68, of Kentwood, entered guilty pleas to a felony charge of misbranding drugs related to their conduct while employed as staff pharmacists at Kentwood...

June 25, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 CLEVELAND - A grand jury returned a 57-count indictment charging 17 people for their roles in a conspiracy that distributed cocaine, heroin and marijuana on the streets of Youngstown, Akron and Columbus, law enforcement officials announced. Terrance A. Tarver obtained...

June 21, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 DETROIT - An indictment was unsealed today charging Dr. Hussein “Sam” Awada, 43, and Dr. Luis Collazo, 53, with the illegal distribution of prescription drugs and health care fraud, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. McQuade was joined...

June 21, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 (LEXINGTON, Ky.)- - The owner of pill mills in Georgetown, Ky., and Dry Ridge, Ky., which illegally dispensed prescription drugs to thousands of patients, was found guilty on all 21 counts of drug trafficking, money laundering, opening and maintaining a...

June 19, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr., announced that five men have been convicted in connection what is believed to be the largest seizure of crystal (or “ice”) in the state of Michigan. In August of 2012...

June 14, 2013 Contact: Public Information Officer Number: (313) 234-4310 LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Winchester, Ky., man, accused of distributing heroin to an individual who died of an overdose, made his first appearance in federal court today. Harold Wayne Salyers, 53, was indicted on June 6 for distribution of heroin...