United States Drug Enforcement Administration

LAREDO, TX - The leader of a drug trafficking and money laundering organization operating out of the Zapata, Texas, area from approximately June 2006 through June 2011 has pleaded guilty, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Peña and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Pedro Navarro...

Seventeen San Antonio-based members of the Texas (TS) have been charged by federal grand jury indictment with conspiring to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt (RICO) statute. The announcement was made today by United States Attorney Robert Pitman, DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier Pena, U.S. Marshal Robert Almonte, ATF Special...

SAN ANTONIO, TX - Juan Jose Quintero-Payan, 69, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, has been sentenced to 222 months in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit (RICO), Kenneth Magidson and Robert L. Pittman, United States Attorneys for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, respectively...

SAN DIEGO, CA - This afternoon, the DEA San Diego Field Division’s Narcotics Task (NTF) along with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Health Advocates Rejecting (HARM) announced the total amount of illegal marijuana plants seized in San Diego County in 2011. During calendar year 2011, NTF and our...

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - Edward Mata, 27, Richard Scott Patton, 40, Luis Andres Longoria, 39, and Servando Guerra, 61, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge, Javier F. Peña and U.S. Attorney Kenneth...

SAN DIEGO , CA - Agencies with the San Diego Tunnel Task Force announced the arrest of six suspects and a record 32-ton marijuana seizure Wednesday in connection with the discovery of the most elaborate smuggling tunnel uncovered along the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years. Investigators say the passageway found...

LAREDO, TX - Five men have been arrested following the return of a sealed indictment alleging ties to the Zeta drug cartel and charges of money laundering, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas E. Hinojosa and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. The indictment, returned Nov...

SAN DIEGO , CA - Investigators on the multi-agency San Diego Tunnel Task Force continued sifting through evidence Wednesday at a warehouse in Otay Mesa’s industrial park housing the U.S. entrance to a sophisticated passageway that runs beneath the border to a warehouse more than 400 yards away in Tijuana...

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX- - Jose Antonio Ortiz Jr. of Corpus Christi, 32, has been found guilty for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Thomas E. Hinojosa and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. The verdict was returned just minutes ago after four...

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - An Indiana man has entered a guilty plea to possessing with intent to distribute more than 2,300 kilograms of marijuana, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson and Drug Enforcement (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas E. Hinojosa announced today. James Henry, 40, of Michigan City, Ind...