United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FRESNO, Calif. - Victor Anthony Nottoli, 51, of Hillsborough, Calif., pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of causing at least 24 tons of misbranded smokable synthetic (SSC) to be introduced into interstate commerce. Four defendants arrested last week for manufacturing...

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Earlier today, at the United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, Alessandro Taloni, an alleged associate of the Montreal-based Rizzuto organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. In May 2013, Taloni...

FRESNO, Calif. - Mark Jeff Zeldes, 52, of Broomfield, Colo., appeared in federal court today in Fresno to face charges contained in an indictment of cultivating and distributing marijuana. According to court documents, between June 1, 2009 and March 9, 2010, Zeldes was responsible for a large-scale marijuana cultivation and...

SAN FRANCISCO - Central Valley and Northern California citizens showed their support for the Drug Enforcement Administration’(DEA’s) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day program by dropping off more prescription pills than ever during the April 26, 2014 event. Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners collected more than 40,854 -...

ALBANY, N.Y. - Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration James J. Hunt, New York Division and United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian announced the arrest of Jeffrey Gundel, M.D. Gansevoort, New York on charges of unlawful distribution of oxycodone. Jeffrey Gundel, an orthopedic surgeon, provided oxycodone...

FRESNO, Calif. - Douglas Jason Way, of Evanston, Ill.; Timothy Ortiz, 43, of Waukegan, Ill.; and Natalie Middleton, 28, of Clovis, Calif., have been arrested as part of a nationwide law enforcement effort to combat the threat of synthetic drugs. The arrests were announced by United States Attorney Benjamin B...

FRESNO, Calif. - A three-month multi-agency law enforcement operation, “Operation Red Eye,” culminated today with the arrest of several methamphetamine traffickers and the search of more than 30 locations. According to court documents, six individuals are being charged federally with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and other controlled substances: Luis Tejeda-Hurtado...

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Eric Jacobson, a Great Neck, New York, physician, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, to 19 counts of the illegal distribution of the highly addictive painkiller oxycodone. When sentenced, Jacobson faces up to nine years in prison. The...

FRESNO, Calif. - Leopoldo “Polo” Rodriguez, 42, resident of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute, marijuana. According to court documents, Rodriguez and his fellow conspirators planned to send large quantities of marijuana from Bakersfield to Memphis, Tennessee. On August 26, 2013...

FRESNO, Calif. - Ana Lilia Angulo, 30, of San Jose, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute nine pounds of heroin. According to court documents, on April 23, 2013, Angulo was stopped for a traffic violation while driving a vehicle northbound on I5 near...