United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MIAMI – Seven individuals, listed below, were arrested in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties in connection to the operation and dismantlement of a large-scale prescription drug distribution organization: Olga Alterman, 49; Ronald Diaz, 46; Alexander Grichener, 65; Roman Grichener, 37; Vera Orenshteyn, 48; William Washington, 58; and Alberto Zisman...

BAKERSFIELD, Calif . – Leonard Velazquez-Martinez, 50, of Minnesota, and Joseph Andrade, 38, of Bakersfield, were arrested Monday for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. At the time of his arrest, Andrade was employed as a correctional officer at Wasco...

SACRAMENTO, Calif . – A grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Thursday that added money laundering charges to six defendants first charged in 2017 in a scheme to use money from China to buy houses to grow marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Charged with money laundering are...

FRESNO, Calif . – On June 17, 2019, Carlos Montano, aka “Loco,” 29, of Fresno, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill to 21 years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm and interstate transportation for prostitution...

SACRAMENTO, Calif . – A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Arturo Zavaleta, 39, of Mexico, charging him with trafficking in heroin, methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, United States Attorney McGregor Scott announced. According to court documents, on June 3, 2019...

Tampa, Fla. – Thirteen individuals have been sentenced in connection with their involvement in an interstate cocaine distribution conspiracy. During the investigation of this case, law enforcement seized more than seven kilograms of cocaine; nine firearms, including an assault rifle and shotgun; hundreds of rounds of ammunition; approximately $40,000 in...

Jacksonville, Fla. – Lonnie Jack Trowell, 31, of Lake City, Fla., was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Trowell had pleaded guilty on March 15, 2019. According to...

Tallahassee, Fla. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging eight defendants with 83 counts of federal dogfighting offenses stemming from an investigation into drug trafficking and a large-scale illegal dogfighting operation involving approximately 100 dogs. Most of the dogs used by the defendants were recovered by...

Jacksonville, Fl a . - Arafat Aljubeh (54, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder the proceeds of a conspiracy involving the distribution of a synthetic marijuana referred to as “AB-FUBINACA .” At the time of the offense, Aljubeh was on federal supervised release stemming from a 2014 federal...

TAMPA, Fla. - A federal jury has found Dion Gregory Fisher (33, formerly of Seminole) guilty of conspiring to manufacture and distribute fentanyl and fentanyl analogue, and money laundering. Because Fisher was convicted of distributing more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 100 grams of fentanyl analogue, he...