United States Drug Enforcement Administration

LOS ANGELES - The so-called “Bitcoin Maven,” who admitted to operating an unlicensed bitcoin-for-cash exchange business and laundering bitcoin that was represented to be proceeds of narcotics activity, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $20,000...

(SANTA ANA, Calif.) - A man currently on both state parole and federal supervised release has been charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances for selling more than one pound of methamphetamine, as well as cocaine. Matthew Belling, 28, of La Mirada, who goes by the moniker “Miagi,” was arrested...

(LOS ANGELES) - David J. Downing, Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced today that Luis Eduardo Rodriguez has been charged for his role in laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars in narcotics proceeds through Las Vegas real estate, and...

(SANTA ANA, Calif.) - A psychiatrist who practices at a Santa Ana clinic has been arrested on federal charges that allege he issued prescriptions for dangerous and addictive narcotics, such as the opioid oxycodone, without a medical purpose. Dr. Robert Tinoco Perez, 56, of Westminster, was arrested Friday by special...

(LOS ANGELES) - David J. Downing, Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the extradition of Filippo Magni, who is charged, along with co-defendant...

(LOS ANGELES) - A former Los Angeles Police Department officer whose garage explosion revealed the makeshift lab where he used butane to extract hash oil containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or “THC,” from marijuana plants, was sentenced to five years in federal prison. Joseph Jay Spadafore, 64, of Menifee was sentenced this morning...

(CONCORD, N.H.) - Brian D. Boyle Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New England Division and United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Alfredo Gonzalez, 50, of Manchester was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in a heroin trafficking conspiracy. In November of 2017...

LOS ANGELES - More than 500 law enforcement personnel executed a major operation this morning, taking into custody 32 defendants who are charged in two federal racketeering indictments, one of which outlines how members of the Mexican Mafia were able to control drug smuggling, narcotics sales and the extortion of...

LOS ANGELES - A former Los Angeles resident has been sentenced to 320 months in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that imported acetylfentanyl, a drug very similar to fentanyl, a powerful and highly addictive opioid. Acetylfentanyl, which is five times more potent that heroin, is not...

RENO, Nev. - A Reno man was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute U-47700, a dangerous synthetic opioid with street names “China White” and “Pinky” that is more potent than morphine, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of...