United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Oct. 28, 2023, Arizona residents once again emptied their medicine cabinets to help dispose of old, unwanted, and expired medications. In total, DEA Arizona and its law enforcement partners collected 5,414 pounds of unneeded medications at 80 collection sites statewide. Nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement...

HOUSTON – Two Houston men have admitted to holding a victim hostage at gunpoint, beating and threatening him with death, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Noe Hernandez, 39, helped kidnap and hold the...

BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lufkin man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking drugs in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Daniel Lopez, 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic cocaine across the border, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Mikeal Jovany Phillips, 35, Huffman, and Juan Andres Rodriguez-Murillo, 31, Mexico...

LAREDO, Texas – Three Laredo residents have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and launder money, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Cesar Mendiola, 57, Rafael Rodriguez, 63, and...

BEAUMONT, Texas – A Seabrook man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking drugs in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division, and U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today. Justin Hall McSpadden, 45, pleaded guilty...

McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old Reynosa, Tamaulipas, city council woman has entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute approximately 42 kilograms of cocaine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. On June 10, Denisse...

San Antonio, TX A federal court in Texas ordered a San Antonio pharmacy and its pharmacist to pay a $275,000 civil penalty and imposed restrictions related to the dispensing of opioids and other controlled substances. Pursuant to an agreed consent judgment and permanent injunction, the court enjoined Zarzamora Healthcare LLC...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Hector Manuel Cruz, Jr., 29, of Chandler, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. On April 25, 2023, Cruz pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Co-defendant Konstantin...

TUCSON, Ariz. – Oswaldo Lopez-Escobar, of Mexico, was charged by complaint on October 5, 2023, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. The complaint alleges that, on October 4, 2023, Lopez-Escobar, driving a semi-truck, applied for admission into the United States from Mexico at the Mariposa Port of Entry in...