United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FRESNO, Calif. - Ramsey Jeries Farraj, 41, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for conspiring with his former business partner, Majed Bashir “Mike” Akroush, 49, also of Bakersfield, to structure $4,204,965 obtained from the sale of smokeable synthetic drugs, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Smokable...

FRESNO, Calif. - Two former deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office were sentenced today for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Logan August, 30, of Bakersfield, to three years’ probation, $16,200...

LOS ANGELES - The operators of seven sham medical clinics were among 12 defendants taken into custody this morning on federal drug trafficking charges that allege they diverted at least 2 million prescription pills - including oxycodone and other addictive and dangerous narcotics - to the black market. Two indictments...

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Omar Felix-Corrales, 38, and Valeria Silvas Villarreal, 23, both of Mexico, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, and Felix-Corrales alone with possession of a firearm in relation to a drug...

FRESNO, Calif. - Abudullah Almashwali, 31, a Yemeni national formerly residing in Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and distribution of heroin and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and DEA Special Agent-in-Charge John J. Martin announced. According...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Justice Department today announced the seizure of the largest criminal marketplace on the internet, AlphaBay, which operated for over two years on the dark web and was used to sell deadly illegal drugs, stolen and fraudulent identification documents and access devices, counterfeit goods, malware and other...

RENO, N.V. - Local physician Dr. Robert Rand pleaded guilty today to involuntary manslaughter of a patient and unlawful distribution of oxycodone to another patient, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 23, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Miranda Du...

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Christopher Owens, a physician licensed to practice in California, was indicted on Tuesday with unlawfully prescribing oxycodone, announced U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch and DEA Special Agent-in-Charge John J. Martin. The indictment alleges that between September 2012 and June 2015, Owens, 50, now of Indianapolis, Indian...

LOS ANGELES - In the largest-ever health care fraud enforcement action by federal authorities, 14 defendants - including doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals - have been charged in the Central District of California for allegedly participating in health care fraud and drug diversion schemes that caused approximately $147...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - CVS Pharmacy Inc. has paid $5 million to resolve federal Controlled Substances (CSA) allegations that its pharmacies in the Eastern District of California failed to keep and maintain accurate records of Schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement...