United States Drug Enforcement Administration

WASHINGTON – Three Houston-area pharmacists, a doctor, and a pharmacy technician have been arrested for allegedly running three pharmacies and two clinics as “pill mills;” distributing hydrocodone, oxycodone, and other controlled drugs without a legitimate medical purpose. According to court documents, since January 2018, Chrisco Pharmacy (Chrisco), Keystone Pharmacy (Keystone)...

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- A former Garden City, Ga., clinic owner and CEO has admitted to laundering money in connection with a notorious “pill mill” doctor who illegally dispensed massive amounts of controlled substances. Jamesetta Whipple-Duncan, 58, of Savannah, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of money laundering...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – James Kristoffer Cantley, 39, formerly of Newton, N.C., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell to 210 months in prison and five years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In...

BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal grand jury in Beaumont has returned a three-count indictment charging nine individuals in drug trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today. The...

AUGUSTA, GA - Eight men and one woman have been named in a newly unsealed federal indictment for taking part in a major drug trafficking conspiracy that funneled cocaine and other drugs from Atlanta to the Waynesboro, Ga., area. The indictment in USA v. Rhaney et al, dubbed Operation Washout...

SAVANNAH, GA: The last of four defendants has been sentenced to federal prison in a drug trafficking conspiracy that shipped cocaine and cash from coast to coast. Kevin Chelsea, 39, of Las Vegas, was sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The supplier of a local drug network has been sentenced to 30 years in prison, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Matthew Wondra, 34, of Murphy, N.C., was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after he...

ATLANTA - Thomas Ukoshovbera A. Gbenedio has been convicted by a federal jury of illegally dispensing and distributing controlled substances from his pharmacy. “Removing and ultimately eliminating healthcare providers who unlawfully dispense pharmaceutical products for non-medical reasons is an important part of DEA’s mission,” said Special Agent in Charge of...

HOUSTON – A fifth individual has surrendered to authorities in relation to a multi-year, multi-million dollar money laundering conspiracy, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Michael Dean Richards, 33, Frisco, is expected to appear for his initial...

ATLANTA – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with its law enforcement and community partners, has removed close to 745,000 pounds of unneeded prescriptions from medicine cabinets across the country as part of DEA’s ongoing commitment to turn the tide against the U.S. opioid epidemic. Following last month’s 21st National...