DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
13 Results - Showing 1 to 10
PRESS RELEASE

South Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Conspiracy to Distribute Protonitazene from China

MIAMI – A south Florida defendant pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a synthetic opioid, protonitazene. Will Catis, Sr. (Catis), 42, of Deerfield Beach, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal. According to the agreed upon factual proffer, on April 12, 2022...
PRESS RELEASE

South Florida Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Dispensing Narcotics

MIAMI – Dr. Ronald Lubetsky was sentenced this week to five (5) years in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks for unlawfully dispensing narcotics—specifically oxycodone and morphine. Lubetsky was convicted at trial in November on seven counts of unlawfully dispensing narcotics. Trial evidence showed that law enforcement learned...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Recognizes National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day

MIAMI – On Sunday, August 21, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will recognize National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day by joining the many voices dedicated to educating the public on the serious dangers of fentanyl poisoning from fake pills and other illicit drugs. DEA supports the efforts of several organizations...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Miami Field Division Warns of Alarming Increase in Suspected Fentanyl-Related Overdoses in Florida

MIAMI - Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division has issued a Public Safety Alert to warn Florida communities of the increase of mass-overdose events across the state suspected to be related to drug supplies laced with a synthetic opioid. While law enforcement agencies continue to investigate these...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Rolls Out Operation Engage

MIAMI - Today, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration launched a new comprehensive law enforcement and prevention initiative aimed at reducing drug use, abuse, and overdose deaths. “Operation Engage” allows participating field divisions to focus on the biggest drug threat and resulting violence in their respective geographic areas. The initiative...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA announces results in massive statewide opioid sweep

MIAMI – DEA Miami Division Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright today announced the results of a three-day, statewide enforcement operation targeting opioids. The DEA-led surge brought together hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Florida. The operation targeted all levels of opioid distributors in the...
PRESS RELEASE

Pill distributor and executives, pharmacists charged with unlawfully distributing painkillers

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged a pharmaceutical distributor, two of its former officials and two pharmacists with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in an indictment returned here yesterday. Four individuals have been charged, including Miami-Luken’s former president and compliance officer and two West Virginia pharmacists. Those charged...
PRESS RELEASE

ARPO Strike Force charges involve more than 350,000 prescriptions for controlled substances and more than 32 million pills

CINCINATTI – Attorney General William P. Barr and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II, together with multiple law enforcement partners, announced enforcement actions involving 60 charged defendants across 11 federal districts, including 31 doctors, seven pharmacists, eight nurse practitioners and seven other licensed medical professionals...
PRESS RELEASE

Former Oakland County reserved deputy sentenced for unlawful distribution of opioids

DETROIT – A former Oakland County reserve deputy sheriff will spend 49 months in prison for the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today. Joining Schneider in the announcement was DEA Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon and FBI Detroit Division Special Agent...
PRESS RELEASE

Six individuals indicted in $48 million health care fraud conspiracy at drug rehabilitation centers in Northern Ohio

CLEVELAND- Six people from Ohio were indicted in federal court for their roles in a health care fraud conspiracy in which Medicaid was billed $48 million for drug and alcohol recovery services which were not provided, not medically necessary, lacked proper documentation, or had other issues that made them ineligible...