DEA Archived Press Releases

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

Father and son among 18 defendants charged in federal investigation

CHICAGO — A father and son are among 18 individuals facing criminal charges as part of a federal investigation into cocaine trafficking in the Chicago area. During the multi-year investigation, dubbed “Operation Flawed Deal,” law enforcement seized multiple bank accounts, more than a kilogram of cocaine, a Mercedes G63 sport-utility...
PRESS RELEASE

Former owner of Chicago medical clinic guilty of selling opioid prescriptions to patients who lacked medical need for the drugs

CHICAGO - The former owner of a Chicago medical clinic admitted in federal court today that he sold opioid prescriptions to patients whom he knew lacked a legitimate medical need for the drugs. MOHAMMED SHARIFF, who owned Midtown Medical Center in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, conspired with a physician to sell...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA and Partners Hold National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 27

After collecting a total of more than 9.9 million pounds (nearly 5,000 tons) of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medications during 15 previous events over the past eight years, the Drug Enforcement Administration expects to reach a total of 10 million pounds collected following the upcoming fall 2018 Take Back...
PRESS RELEASE

Indiana doctor sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of dealing in a controlled substance by a practitioner

COLOMBIA CITY, Ind.- Whitley County Prosecuting Attorney D.J. Sigler, in conjunction with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Office of the Attorney General, Indiana State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration, announced today that Dr. James E. Hanus, a former family practice physician with offices in South Whitley, Indiana, was sentenced...
PRESS RELEASE

Lasalle County Doctor Sentenced for Dispensing Prescription Drugs to Addicts for Sex

CHICAGO - A LaSalle County physician was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for illegally dispensing prescription medications, including opioids, in exchange for cash or sex. Constantino Perales, M.D., illegally prescribed oxycodone and Xanax to a patient, Andrew Strandell, knowing that Strandell would sell the pills on the...
PRESS RELEASE

Trial scheduled for Champaign man charged for allegedly trafficking

URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign, Ill., man, Stephan Caamano, 23, appeared in federal court in Urbana today for arraignment on charges that he allegedly trafficked quantities of pills containing alprazolam, marked as ‘Xanax,’ and laundered proceeds of the alleged drug trafficking. Caamano, of the 1500 block of Glenshire Drive, appeared...
PRESS RELEASE

25-plus Chicago defendants face drug charges for alleged fentanyl or fentanyl-laced heroin sales

CHICAGO - More than 25 individuals are facing federal or state drug charges for allegedly selling pure fentanyl or fentanyl-laced heroin in Chicago. Many of the defendants sold narcotics to an undercover law enforcement officer earlier this year, according to the charges. Several of the sales occurred in daytime hours...
PRESS RELEASE

20 defendants charged in drug and gun investigations

CHICAGO — Twenty individuals are facing criminal charges as part of joint federal and state investigations into drug and gun trafficking in Chicago. The dual investigations centered on drug sales in the city’s Little Village neighborhood and resulted in the seizures of 445 grams of heroin, 230 grams of cocaine...
PRESS RELEASE

California Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 35 years in Federal Prison for Transporting Heroin and Cocaine to Chicago Aboard Amtrak Trains

CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a California man to 35 years in prison for overseeing an international drug-trafficking organization that used Amtrak trains to ship heroin and cocaine to Chicago from Los Angeles. Edgar Roque, 32, of Paramount, Calif., was the leader of an extensive network of drug...
PRESS RELEASE

Lamont Coleman Drug Trafficking Organization charged

HAMMOND, Ind. – Lamont Coleman, 36 years old, and Katrina Owens, 24 years old, both of Gary, Indiana were charged via criminal complaint on Aug. 28, 2018 with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Also charged, in an indictment returned on Aug. 16, 2018, were Leroy Coleman, 55 years old, Tony Petty...