United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PHOENIX - - On August 12, 2013, Artemio Pena-Torrecillas, 26, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Boltonto 40 years in prison. Pena-Torrecillas was found guilty by a federal jury on May 30, 2013, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or...

WASHINGTON - Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration was deeply troubled to learn of the decision by a Mexican court to release infamous drug trafficker Rafael Caro-Quintero from a Mexican prison. Caro-Quintero had been serving a 40 year prison sentence in connection with the kidnapping, torture and murder of DEA Special...

TUCSON, Ariz. - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman today announced the arrest of Gustavo Nunez and Ilda Garcia on felony charges including Possession of Dangerous (ARS 13-3407 A.1) and Practicing Medicine without a (ARS 13-3455). The charges arise from a three-month investigation conducted by the DEA’s...

PHOENIX - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman announced today that the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) reported the designation of three individuals and three entities linked to Ismael Zambada Garcia, one of the principal leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. Those designated...

PHOENIX - On July 19, 2013, Michael Rocky Lane, 51, of Cave Creek, Arizona, was found guilty of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substance analogues and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substance analogues by a federal jury in Phoenix. The case was tried before U.S. District Judge...

WASHINGTON - - Six Colombian nationals were indicted today by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia for the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent James Terry Watson. “Special Agent Watson was a brave public servant who dedicated his life to protecting the country...

WASHINGTON - - The Drug Enforcement Administration congratulates the Government of Mexico on the arrest of Miguel Trevino Morales. Trevino Morales, the head of the notoriously violent and vicious Los Zetas cartel, has been a wanted man for years. His ruthless leadership has now come to an end. Thanks to...

PHOENIX - On July 8, 2013, Indalecio Castro-Ponce, 40, of San Luis, Ariz. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Boltonto 240 months imprisonment and a $3,000 fine. Castro-Ponce was found guilty by a federal jury on April 12, 2013, of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent...

Extradition of Colombian Narcotics Kingpin Defendant allegedly worked with two Colombian terrorist organizations to manufacture and distribute hundreds of tons of cocaine per year, and laundered millions of dollars in drug proceeds (WASHINGTON) - Michele M. Leonhart, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement (“DEA”), Preet Bharara, Loretta E. Lynch...

TUCSON, Ariz. - On July 1, 2013, Patagonia, Arizona residents Fabian Monge, 34, Isabel Monge-Sierras, 43, Mary (Monge) Carlson, 32, and Frank Lopez, 49 were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collinsto serve terms of imprisonment of 12.5 years, 7 years, 5 years, and 7.5 years, respectively. After the...