DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
842 Results - Showing 641 to 650
PRESS RELEASE

Heroin Traffickers Arrested

FRESNO, Calif. - Five men were arrested last week for trafficking heroin in the counties of San Joaquin, Sacramento, and Stanislaus, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. The indictment charges Jose Martinez-Gonzalez, 38, of Bakersfield; Porfiro Farias, 30, of East...
PRESS RELEASE

Methamphetamine Courier Pleads Guilty In Federal Court

FRESNO, Calif. - Luis Miguel Villalobos, of Fresno pleaded guilty today to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. According to court documents, on September 12, 2012, Villalobos was stopped by a California...
PRESS RELEASE

Repeat Large-Scale Marijuana Grower Sent To Federal Prison

FRESNO, Calif. - Ramany Puthavongsa, 48, of Fresno, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to three years and 10 months in prison for growing marijuana in Merced County, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. According...
PRESS RELEASE

Strawberry Marijuana Farmers Plead Guilty

FRESNO, Calif. - Saelee Fahn Meng, aka Kathy Ming Lee, 54, and her husband, John Yaohinh Lee, 54, of Waterford, Calif., entered guilty pleas today for their involvement in growing 491 marijuana plants on their strawberry farm near Waterford High School, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and...
PRESS RELEASE

Nevada County Man Indicted For Possession With Intent To Distribute Meth

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment yesterday, charging Mark Bowden, 33, of Penn Valley, with another count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today. This case is...
PRESS RELEASE

Ventura County Men Charged With Trafficking Meth In Kern County

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today charging Fillmore residents Ruben Avila-Angulo, 40, and Antonio Barocio-Valencia, 60, with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced...
PRESS RELEASE

Fresno Man Sentenced For Growing Marijuana; Others Come To Fresno County For Same Purpose

FRESNO, Calif. - A Fresno man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for growing marijuana on agricultural land, and five newly charged defendants face possible long prison terms for growing marijuana in Fresno County, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced...
PRESS RELEASE

Fresno Men Plead Guilty To Shipping Marijuana To Alabama

FRESNO, Calif. - Vincent Graves, 53, and Herman Graves, 46, both of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to their involvement in a drug ring that shipped marijuana grown in rural Fresno to Birmingham, Ala., Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Vincent...
PRESS RELEASE

IRS Employee Pleads Guilty To Structuring Drug Proceeds

FRESNO, Calif. - Catatea James, 47, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting structuring, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Structuring is splitting up bank deposits to keep them under a $10,000 threshold in order to avoid the...
PRESS RELEASE

Fresno County Marijuana Prosecution Updates

FRESNO, Calif.) - Three marijuana cultivators in Fresno County pleaded guilty and one was sentenced today for their involvement in separate large-scale marijuana cultivation operations in Fresno County, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. 1,429 Marijuana Plants Seized in Squaw (Case...