United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NEW ORLEANS - Addictive prescription drugs that are thrown away or left untended on shelves and in drawers at home are often stolen and either abused or sold by family members and visitors. That’s why the DEA and thousands of its state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners...

MOBILE, Ala. - A former nurse practitioner, Thomas “Justin” Palmer, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for his role in the operation of a massive pill mill run by Dr. Xiulu Ruan and Dr. John Patrick Couch, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Bret Hamilton and Acting United...

MOBILE, Ala. - A former worker’s compensation manager, Christopher Manfuso, has been sentenced to six months of house arrest and ordered to immediately pay a $50,000 fine, for his role in the operation of the massive pill mill run by Dr. Xiulu Ruan and Dr. John Patrick Couch, announced DEA...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A federal judge this week sentenced seven people from Jefferson, Walker, Marion, and Franklin counties for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine across northwest Alabama, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Bret Hamilton, and Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey. A U.S. District Court Judge on Monday sentenced Gladys Ivette...

SHREVEPORT, La. - A Shreveport woman was sentenced Wednesday to 60 months in prison for her role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Brad L. Byerley, and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. A United States District Judge sentenced Haylee N. Haigler, 36, on one...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - A Marianna, Arkansas man was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison today on drug trafficking charges, announced Matthew Barden, DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge, and Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. Jimmy Dale King, aka OG Zeek Woods, age 42, was sentenced...

LAFAYETTE, La. - The last defendant in an Acadiana methamphetamine conspiracy was sentenced on Monday, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Elton J. Scoggin, 36, of Breaux Bridge, La., and 10 other defendants conspired to distribute...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A Birmingham man pleaded guilty today in federal court to distributing fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid painkiller, that caused the death of a 20-year-old Pelham woman, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bret Hamilton and Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey. Rodrigus Lee Pearson...

NEW ORLEANS - A 33-year old New Orleans man was sentenced today to more than 17 years in prison after pleading guilty in August to conspiring to distribute heroin and other drugs, including acetyl fentanyl shipped from China, to New Orleans area customers, announced Stephen G. Azzam the Special Agent-in-Charge...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Richard Duane Johns, 49, of Little Rock pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone without an effective prescription. John, a former doctor, was responsible for illegally distributing at least 39,000 pills, with a street value of more than $1,000,000. Johns pleaded guilty Thursday before a Chief...