DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
250 Results - Showing 241 to 250
PRESS RELEASE

Twelve People Charged Following Investigation of Drug Trafficking Ring

SEATTLE - Twelve people are in custody today following a second round of arrests in an investigation involving armed drug trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The indictments and arrests today are a follow-up to the April 7, 2021, takedown involving 24 defendants. Most of those arrested today...
PRESS RELEASE

Mt. Vernon Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl

SEATTLE- A 22-year-old Mount Vernon, Washington, man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Defendant Jiovanni Nunez supplied counterfeit oxycodone pills tainted with fentanyl to an associate, who distributed them in Skagit and Whatcom Counties. The pills are connected to at least two...
PRESS RELEASE

Sinaloa-based narcotics distributor designated under the Kingpin Act for trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine in Oregon

SEATTLE - Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug announced the unsealing of an indictment today against a Sinaloa-based drug trafficker for his role in trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest. Efrain Mendivil Figueroa, 41, of Sinaloa, Mexico, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin...
PRESS RELEASE

Substantial prison terms imposed for fentanyl distributors

SPOKANE, Wash. - Josue Medina-Perez, age 24 and Francisco Delgado, age 35, both from Phoenix, Arizona, were sentenced March 17, 2021, after admitting to being members of a drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking fentanyl-laced pills into the Eastern District of Washington. They each pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute...
PRESS RELEASE

Norteno gang leader and drug trafficker sentenced to 20 years in federal prison

SPOKANE, Wash., - Joshua Isaac Stine, age 34, a resident of Ephrata, Washington, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Court Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen to a 240 month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 10 year term of court supervision after he is released from federal...
PRESS RELEASE

Eleven indicted in wide-ranging conspiracy trafficking heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine in multi-state area

SEATTLE – Eleven people have been indicted by a grand jury sitting in the Western District of Washington for a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy. One of those indicted is a rap artist from Snohomish County, Washington, who discussed his drug trafficking activity in a documentary video. All of those in...
PRESS RELEASE

Felon arrested at Puyallup motel pleads guilty to drug and gun crimes

SEATTLE - A federal felon, arrested for violating his supervised release, faces new prison time following his guilty plea to drug and gun possession charges. Joshua Lobben, 32, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm...
PRESS RELEASE

Nineteen indicted in cartel-connected drug trafficking conspiracy

SEATTLE - Fifteen people were arrested today throughout the Puget Sound region and in California following an 18-month investigation of a drug trafficking organization tied to the CJNG cartel in Mexico. Defendants arrested today made their initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The South Sound Streets are safer...
PRESS RELEASE

Two Whatcom County men charged in fentanyl drug distribution scheme

SEATTLE - Two Bellingham, Washington, residents made their initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Seattle following their arrest on May 28, 2020, for distributing fake oxycodone tablets tainted with fentanyl. Troy J. Klander, 38, and Zachary D. Salas, 38, are charged with conspiracy to possess fentanyl with intent...
PRESS RELEASE

Portland man pleads guilty for role in interstate marijuana trafficking conspiracy

PORTLAND, Ore . – Paul Eugene Thomas, 38, of Portland, pleaded guilty on April 10, 2019, to one count of conspiring to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, distributing marijuana, maintaining drug involved premises and one count of money laundering for his role in a vast conspiracy to traffic marijuana...