DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
1013 Results - Showing 541 to 550
PRESS RELEASE

Court Orders Largest Diversion Civil Penalty Against Physician in Southern District of Georgia History

SAVANNAH, GA - The United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia entered a default judgment against Dr. Firoz Patka, of Martinez, Georgia, totaling $1.2 million. In May 2017, the United States filed a complaint against Dr. Patka for violations of the Controlled Substances Act based on his...
PRESS RELEASE

Career Offender Sentenced to 20 Years for Drug Offense

Rome, Ga. – Barry Shedd has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine less than two months after his release from state custody. “The amount of prison time Shedd received correctly reflects the continuous criminal activities...
PRESS RELEASE

National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Nationwide and in the Southern District Of Georgia

(SAVANNAH, Ga.) – Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Secretary Alex M. Azar III, announced today the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged...
PRESS RELEASE

Georgia Opioid Abuse Prevention Public Service Announcement Released

(ATLANTA) – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, in partnership with the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, has released an opioid public service announcement that reminds Georgians that the opioid epidemic demands the urgent attention of everyone in our community. “Fighting this epidemic...
PRESS RELEASE

National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Nationwide and in the Southern District Of Georgia

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Secretary Alex M. Azar III, announced today the largest ever health care fraud enforcement action involving 601 charged defendants across 58 federal districts, including 165 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged...
PRESS RELEASE

Dose of Reality - Fighting the Opioid Epidemic

ATLANTA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, in partnership with the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, have released an opioid public service announcement to remind Georgians that the opioid epidemic demands the urgent attention of everyone in our community. “Georgians unfortunately have...
PRESS RELEASE

Georgia Opioid Abuse Prevention Public Service Announcement Released

ATLANTA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, in partnership with the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, has released an opioid public service announcement that reminds Georgians that the opioid epidemic demands the urgent attention of everyone in our community. “Fighting this epidemic...
PRESS RELEASE

Mexican cartel leader Edgar Valdez-Villareal, a/k/a “La Barbie,” sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and money laundering

(ATLANTA, Ga.) – Edgar Valdez-Villareal, a/k/a La Barbie, who was born in the U.S. and rose to be a high-level leader of Mexico’s Beltran-Leyva Cartel, has been sentenced to 49 years and one month in federal prison on charges of cocaine trafficking and money laundering. “Edgar Valdez-Villareal a/k/a “La Barbie”...
PRESS RELEASE

Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Member Extradited to the United States from Mexico for Funneling Massive Amounts of Marijuana and Cocaine into the United States

EL PASO – An alleged Sinaloa Cartel member is in federal custody, following his extradition from Mexico to the United States yesterday afternoon. He is expected to make his initial appearance later today in federal court in El Paso. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney John F. Bash for...
PRESS RELEASE

Former Chihuahua, Mexico State Police Officer Sentenced to Prison on Federal Racketeering Charge

EL PASO – A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced 55-year-old former Chihuahua, Mexico State Police Officer Mario De La O Lopez (aka “Flaco”) to 324 months in federal prison for his role in Sinaloa Cartel narcotics distribution operations. In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Frank Montalvo...