DEA Archived Press Releases

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

Drug Trafficker Sentenced To 24 Years In Federal Prison

PHOENIX - On December 19, 2012, Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement (DEA) Phoenix Field Division and U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that Francisco Alfredo Montes-Vargas, of Culiacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised...
PRESS RELEASE

Eleven Members Convicted In Phoenix Area Marijuana Distribution Conspiracy

PHOENIX - On April 25, 2012, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 76 count superseding indictment against 11 defendants charging them with multiple crimes including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, structuring financial transactions through a domestic financial institution and promotional money laundering. The defendants are...
PRESS RELEASE

Death Charge Added To Indictment Against Pill Mill Doc

NOV 29 (PHILADELPHIA) - A third superseding indictment was unsealed today against Dr. Norman Werther, 73, of Horsham, adding nine new defendants and dozens more charges, most notably distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. It is the first such...
PRESS RELEASE

Results Of Violent Crime Reduction Partnership Announced

PHILADELPHIA - Federal officials today announced the results of the Violent Crime Reduction (VCRP), a collaborative law enforcement effort between federal law enforcement agencies and the Philadelphia Police Department to combat violent crime in some of Philadelphia’s hardest hit neighborhoods announced by Attorney General Eric Holder, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA NEWS: Valley-wide Synthetic Drug Takedown

PHOENIX - Agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) along with various state and local law enforcement agencies executed 12 search warrants yesterday and seized more than 20,000 units of synthetic drugs in the second statewide enforcement action against the synthetic designer drug industry responsible for the production and sale...
PRESS RELEASE

Alert - Extortion Scam - Alert

OCT (PHOENIX)- - The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the public about criminals posing as DEA special agents or other law enforcement personnel as part of an international extortion scheme. This criminal activity has occurred in the past, but is now occurring with much more frequency. The DEA Phoenix and...
PRESS RELEASE

Alleged Members Of Drug Trafficking Organization Arrested

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Federal agents arrested 16 alleged members of a Dominican-based drug trafficking organization. An indictment, unsealed yesterday, charges 19 defendants with conspiracy to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin. A separate criminal complaint also charges a 20th defendant in the conspiracy. The indictment alleges that the defendants...
PRESS RELEASE

Former Philadelphia Police Detective Pleads Guilty To Drug Charges

OCT 09 PHILADELPHIA , PA. - Keith Gidelson, 36, of Philadelphia, a former detective with the Philadelphia Police Department, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids. Gidelson operated an anabolic steroid and human growth (“HGH”) distribution organization in Philadelphia. He acquired steroids from foreign suppliers and then sold...
PRESS RELEASE

Over 4500 Marijuana Plants Eradicated Near Wenden, Arizona

YUMA, Ariz. - The Drug Enforcement (DEA) along with the Arizona Department of Public (DPS) eradicated and destroyed more than 4500 marijuana plants found growing along the Centennial Wash, near Wenden, Arizona in La Paz County. The plants ranged from 3 to 6 feet high and were located in four...