DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
18 Results - Showing 11 to 18
PRESS RELEASE

25th Operation High Tide Defendant Sentenced for Drug and Gun Crimes

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man, who was the 25th defendant associated with Operation High Tide, was sentenced today for his role in trafficking firearms and selling heroin. According to court documents, in 2017, Shon E. Melton, 32, of Portsmouth, was attributed with trafficking 19 firearms, including a concealable short...
PRESS RELEASE

Three Indicted on Federal Drug Distribution Charges

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A husband and wife from Fairfax and their cousin from Spotsylvania were indicted last month for conspiring to distribute controlled substances in Virginia. According to court documents, Fahid Rashid, 30, Akhter Ahmed, 28, and Khalisah Khan, 29, conspired to traffic counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The defendants, and...
PRESS RELEASE

Richmond Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man who was convicted by a federal jury in March was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for distributing fentanyl in the Mosby Court neighborhood. According to court records and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, Quotez Tyveck Pair, 33, was a drug trafficker...
PRESS RELEASE

Norfolk Man Responsible for Fatal Overdose Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl, Heroin, and Firearm Charges

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Christopher McKinley Barnes, 36, sold heroin and fentanyl from late 2016 until he was arrested on April 16...
PRESS RELEASE

Dark Web Vendor of Opioids and Counterfeit U.S. Currency Pleads Guilty

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Utica, New York man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges relating to his sale of over $1.2 million in opioid pills and counterfeit U.S. currency on multiple dark web criminal marketplaces. According to court documents, from around October 2016 through February 2021, Albie Pagan, 65, operated under...
PRESS RELEASE

Manager in Major Baltimore Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced

Baltimore, MD – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Desmond Ringgold, a/k/a Worm and Fool, age 32, of Baltimore, Maryland to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role as a supervisor in a prolific drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA announces results in massive statewide opioid sweep

MIAMI – DEA Miami Division Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright today announced the results of a three-day, statewide enforcement operation targeting opioids. The DEA-led surge brought together hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Florida. The operation targeted all levels of opioid distributors in the...
PRESS RELEASE

Warren County doctor sentenced for illegally distributing opioids and Medicare fraud

ST. LOUIS – Dr. Philip Dean, 62, a resident of Warren County, Missouri, was sentenced today to 40 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution to the Medicare and Medicaid programs in the amount of $312,377. Dr. Dean previously pled guilty today to two felony charges, illegally distributing opiate...