United States Drug Enforcement Administration

WASHINGTON – A former Venezuelan government minister and a former officer at Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled electricity company, Corporación Eléctrica Nacional, S.A. (Corpoelec), were charged in an indictment returned today for their alleged roles in laundering the proceeds of violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with...

WASHINGTON - DEA Assistant Administrator, Diversion Control Division John Martin recently hosted a collaborative conference in Washington, D.C. with industry leaders representing the prescription drug supply chain in America. The purpose of their dialogue was to discuss ways to minimize pharmaceutical diversion while maintaining legitimate commerce and patient access. “DEA...

NEW YORK – DEA Special Operations Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher T. Tersigni, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey S. Berman and United States Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced that Moazu Kromah, aka “Ayoub,” aka “Ayuba,” aka “Kampala Man;” Amara Cherif, aka...

SAVANNAH, Ga. – A physician with clinics in Pooler, Ga., and Braselton, Ga., was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison for illegally prescribing drugs to non-patients. Dr. Johnny Di Blasi , 46, of Braselton, Ga., was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to...

ATLANTA – Dr. Arnita Avery-Kelly, a licensed podiatrist, has been found guilty on federal charges of illegally prescribing opioid painkillers and other drugs at clinic locations purporting to provide podiatric care in Sandy Springs and Lithonia, Ga. “While in the midst of this country’s prescription opioid crisis, removing and ultimately...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Chief U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced today David Flores, 35, of Dallas, Texas, to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release on drug conspiracy charges, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Andrew Murray. DEA Atlanta Division Special Agent...

ATLANTA – Yadira Gomez-Gonzalez has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Gomez-Gonzalez is the last of three defendants whose drug ring was infiltrated by undercover DEA agents when they attempted to send nearly 14 kilograms of 100 percent pure methamphetamine from California to Georgia...

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Five men and a woman have been indicted in federal court, charged with operating a wide-ranging drug conspiracy that included mass production of pills and possession with intent to distribute a powerful synthetic opioid. As outlined in the six-count indictment in U.S. District Court and from testimony...

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Renewed action to scrutinize shipments into the growing Port of Savannah have led to significant recent drug seizures, including two arrests and more than 20 kilos of cocaine seized in a weekend raid at an Augusta warehouse. Jimmy Alexander Pujols, 35, and Fausto Mendez Ramos, 40, are...

SAVANNAH, Ga. The lead defendant in a Statesboro drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Natividad Dias , a/k/a “Nat,” “Nate,” “Amigo” or “Huevos,” 46, a Mexican national who lived in Sylvania, Ga., was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District...