United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN DIEGO - Twelve suspected members of a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking ring were arrested early Wednesday and today at the culmination of a yearlong investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Major Mexican Traffickers’ Strike Force. All but two of the defendants appeared in federal court this afternoon...

Four additional co-conspirators previously pled guilty COLUMBUS, Ohio - A U.S. District Court jury here today convicted Sontay T. Smotherman, 36, of Columbus of operating a drug house at his residence. Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Robert L. Corso, Special Agent in Charge...

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Richmond, Kentucky man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced today to more than 250 months for dealing cocaine and using his retail store to conceal his drug trafficking activity. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph M. Hood sentenced 30-year-old Jakolbe Chenault, aka, “Kolbe Cheese,” for conspiracies...

DETROIT - A 50 year old Canton pharmacist who owned and operated 26 pharmacies in the metro-Detroit area was sentenced today to 17 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Robert L. Corso, Special Agent in Charge, of the U.S...

CLEVELAND - Sixteen people were indicted on drug trafficking, illegal firearms and money laundering charges for their roles in an organization that is accused of bringing cocaine, heroin and marijuana from Chicago and selling it in Cleveland, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio...

- SAN DIEGO - A man who created two medical marijuana dispensaries and a phony board of directors as a front for a multimillion-dollar drug trafficking operation was sentenced today to serve 100 months in federal prison. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody. Joshua John Hester of San Diego...

CLEVELAND - A federal grand jury has indicted Steven E. Hillman, 67, of Dublin, Ohio, alleging that he conspired with the owner of three pain clinics in Ohio to illegally divert prescription drugs outside the scope of legitimate medical practice and launder proceeds of the conspiracy. Carter M. Stewart, United...

CLEVELAND - A federal grand jury returned a 42-count indictment against 13 people who are accused of participating in a large-scale heroin trafficking ring in the Ashtabula areas and resulted in the overdose death of an Ashtabula resident last year. The unsealing of the indictment was announced today by Steven...

ASHLAND, Ky. - A federal jury convicted a Florida doctor of conspiring with a pain clinic owner and others to illegally prescribe hundreds of thousands of pills to Kentucky residents. The Ashland jury convicted 57-year-old Dr. Clara S. Rodriguez-Iznaga of conspiracies to distribute controlled substances, and to launder money. The...

SAN DIEGO - On December 13, 2012, San Diego Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge William R. Sherman and San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced the results of a 21-month operation, dubbed Operation Knight Stalker, which targeted legacy members of the La Familia Michoacá(LFM) drug cartel...