DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
55 Results - Showing 1 to 10
PRESS RELEASE

Leaders of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle over 43,000 Kilos of Cocaine into the United States

TAMPA, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jorge Hernan Gonzalez-Ortiz, 50, of Colombia, and Carlos Andres Aldana-Gil, 43, also of Colombia, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date...
PRESS RELEASE

Four People Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Fentanyl

MIAMI – Four South Florida residents have been sentenced to federal prison for distributing fentanyl and meth. On Jan. 16, Gito St. Fort, 35, of West Palm Beach, Fla., a career criminal, was sentenced to 320 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of a controlled substance resulting...
PRESS RELEASE

Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids

MIAMI– On Dec. 10, Blake Alfonso Kolessa, 27, of Greenacres, Fla., was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks for possessing with intent to distribute metonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene, and methamphetamine. Kolessa previously pled guilty...
PRESS RELEASE

Former Fugitive Found Guilty at Trial of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Billy Ruiz (46, California) guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Ruiz faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His...
PRESS RELEASE

Two Florida Men Sentenced For Heroin Conspiracy

ORLANDO, Fla. - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Robert E. O’Neill, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, announced today that Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp sentenced Jose Manuel (41, Orlando) to life in prison and Julian...
PRESS RELEASE

Miami Cocaine Distributor Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison

ORLANDO, Fla. - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Robert E. O’Neill, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, announced today that U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. sentenced Michael Metayer, a/k/a “Big Mike” (40, Miami) to 10 years...
PRESS RELEASE

Five More Sentenced To Federal Prison In Operation Sooner Or Later

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Robert E. O’Neill, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, announced today that U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan sentenced five additional individuals for their roles in an international drug trafficking...
PRESS RELEASE

Oxycodone Dealer Gets Statutory Maximum

TAMPA, Fla. - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Robert E. O’Neill, United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, announced today that U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew sentenced Samuel (42, Tampa) to the statutory maximum of 20 years...
PRESS RELEASE

Sixteen Miami-Dade Residents Indicted On Drug Conspiracy And Distribution Charges

MIAMI - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of (FBI), Miami Field Office, Alysa D. Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, U.S...
PRESS RELEASE

Fourteen Men Charged In International Cocaine Trafficking Ring

MIAMI - Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA), Miami Field Division, Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Neil DeSousa, Acting U.S. (USMS) for the Southern District of Florida, Noel Manheimer, Director, Customs and Border (CBP), Office of Air and Marine...