United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DENVER – John Van Wu, 49, of Golden, pleaded guilty today to one count of distributing oxycodone outside the usual course of medical practice and for no legitimate purpose, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn and DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge William McDermott. The plea was accepted by U.S...

DENVER – Jessica Sharman, 35, of Arapahoe County, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to tampering with a consumer product, specifically stealing fentanyl meant for patients from the intensive care unit at Parker Adventist Hospital in Douglas County, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, DEA Denver...

SAN DIEGO – Willian Estuardo Lemus Lara, a suspected high-level cartel boss from Central America, was arraigned in federal court today on maritime cocaine trafficking charges. According to the documents filed in court, Lemus was the manager of the transportation and distribution cell responsible for facilitating multi-ton quantity cocaine loads...

LEMON GROVE, Calif. – Yesterday the United States Drug Enforcement Administration executed a federal search warrant at a warehouse located at 7648 Lemon Avenue, Lemon Grove, Calif., and uncovered a sophisticated hash oil refinery laboratory operation. Large quantities of ethanol were removed from the property by San Diego County HAZMAT...

SAN DIEGO – Indictments were unsealed today in San Diego federal court charging 43 members of a methamphetamine distribution network tied to the Sinaloa Cartel with federal drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. During the coordinated takedown that began early this morning, agents executed over a dozen search warrants. Agents...

WARNER SPRINGS, Calif. – Yesterday the DEA’s Narcotic Task Force executed a state search warrant at 30570 Chihuahua Valley Road, Warner Springs, Calif. Agents uncovered a sophisticated butane hash oil extraction lab inside three trailers on the property. In addition to extracting hash oil, the lab operators were also refining...

EL CAJON, Calif. – Yesterday, DEA’s Narcotic Task Force (NTF) responded to a hash oil extraction laboratory explosion in the city of El Cajon. This explosion occurred less than two weeks after the significant hash oil extraction laboratory explosion in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego, which sent three...

SAN DIEGO and IMPERIAL, Calif. – With enthusiastic participation nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement partners have now collected nearly 12 million pounds of unused or expired prescription medications over the course of 17 successful DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back events. During the 17th semiannual event on April 27...

CALEXICO, Calif. – On May 1, 2019, Ezequiel Godinez-Cervantes was arrested at the Calexico Port of Entry on two warrants for violating the terms of supervised release. Godinez-Cervantes is a 77-year-old U.S. citizen. A warrant was issued for Godinez-Cervantes’ arrest in October 2018 by the U.S. District Court, Central District...

SAN DIEGO – With robust public participation over the course of 16 prior events, the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Initiative continues to remove ever-higher amounts of opioids and other medicines from the nation’s homes, where they are vulnerable to misuse, theft or abuse by family members and visitors...