United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MIAMI – Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea today announced that the DEA will direct resources to help reduce violent crime in communities throughout the country. Under this initiative, called Project Safeguard, DEA will identify and prioritize ongoing drug trafficking investigations with a nexus to violent crime...

SPOKANE, Wash., - On October 21 - 22, 2020, United States Attorney William Hyslop and DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis announced a coordinated Opioid Fentanyl Outreach initiative by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, community leaders, prevention specialists and school superintendents in Spokane and the Tri-Cities areas...

SEBRING, Fla . – On September 30, 2010, a multi-agency federal, state, and local task force conducted an operation in which more than 70 people were arrested on drug trafficking and gun marcharges. For more than a year, federal, state, and local law enforcement worked on a massive operation dubbed...

RICHLAND, Wash. - Sami Anwar, age 41, of Richland, Washington, was sentenced today by Senior District Judge Edward F. Shea to a 340-month term of imprisonment for falsifying human clinical research trials in connection with a fraud scheme directed by Mr. Anwar. After a three-week jury trial in Richland in...

EUGENE, Ore. - A Eugene Springfield Fire Department paramedic has been charged with illegally obtaining controlled substances from a local pharmacy and using them to drug and rape multiple female victims. Edward Augustus Blake, 44, a resident of Cheshire, Oregon, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with conspiring to...

TAMPA, Fla. - Jesus Soto-Martinez (41, Michoacan, Mexico) was sentenced to 21 years and 3 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, forcibly interfering...

PORTLAND, Ore. - A Medford Podiatrist pleaded guilty today for using fraud and deception to obtain controlled substances which he used to feed his personal addiction. Patrick T. Code, 60, pleaded guilty today to a one count information charging obtaining possession of a controlled substance through misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Several individuals have been arrested and charged in Anchorage, Alaska, for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise involving narcotics distribution, money laundering, and gun violence in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. In a recently unsealed indictment, Jordan J. Shanholtzer, aka "Two-3," 33, formerly of Anchorage,; Matthew...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - A federal jury has found Edgar Vazquez (35, Fort Myers) guilty of possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Vazquez faces a minimum mandatory term of 5 years, and up to 40 years, in federal prison. Vazquez had been indicted on...

TAMPA, Fla. - An indictment charging eight members of a drug trafficking organization with offenses related to the distribution of cocaine and heroin was unsealed today. (See chart for details). According to court records, this investigation targeted illegal drug traffickers operating an open-air drug market in the Robles Park Housing...