DEA Archived Press Releases

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

Former Border Patrol Agent Sentenced to More Than 12 Years on Bribery, Firearms, and Narcotics Charges

TUCSON, Ariz. - Ramon Antonio Monreal-Rodriguez, 36, of Vail, Arizona, was sentenced on December 14, by United States District Judge James A. Soto, to 152 months in prison and ordered to pay $151,000 in restitution to the U.S. Border Patrol for salary drawn while engaged in criminal activity. Monreal-Rodriguez previously...
PRESS RELEASE

Multi-Agency Investigation Leads to Charges Against 13 Alleged Members of a Tucson-Area Drug Trafficking Organization

TUCSON, Ariz. - A federal grand jury in Tucson, Arizona, returned a 19-count indictment on November 10, 2022, against 10 current or former southern Arizona residents, including: Alberto Gabriel Aranda-Ramon, 31, of Tucson, Arizona Michele Oller, 54, of Tucson, Arizona Larry William Nelson, Jr., 51, of Arizona Ashley Yvonne Maxwell...
PRESS RELEASE

Federal Jury Convicts Albuquerque Man of Drug Trafficking Offenses

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that a federal jury returned a guilty verdict on Rafael Columbie on Dec. 1. The jury convicted Columbie, 53, of Albuquerque, on one count each of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams...
PRESS RELEASE

Arizona Communities Team up with DEA & Partners Turning in 4 Tons of Unneeded Prescription Medications

PHOENIX – On Oct. 29, 2022, communities across the country demonstrated their continued support for DEA’s bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by safely disposing of more than 647,000 pounds of unneeded medications at nearly 5,000 collection sites across the country. Since its inception in 2010, DEA’s National Prescription...
PRESS RELEASE

Large-Scale Drug Traffickers Convicted by Federal Jury

EL PASO, Texas – A federal jury convicted two men Tuesday of multiple counts of drug trafficking. Additionally, one of the defendants was convicted of domestic and international money laundering. Jorge Sanchez-Morales aka “Capulina,” 47, was convicted of two counts of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute; two counts...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA El Paso to Host Family Summit

WHEN: Tuesday, November 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. MST. WHERE: Hope City Community Church, 6115 Woodrow Bean, El Paso , TX 79924 WHAT: Summit for families who have suffered the loss of a loved one due to illicit substances or have a loved one currently suffering through illicit...
PRESS RELEASE

Medical Doctor Plus Eight Others Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering

PHOENIX – On September 28, 2022, a grand jury in Phoenix, Arizona, returned a 34-count indictment against nine individuals, including: Yvette Porras-Ochoa, 40, of Wittmann, Arizona Ricardo Ochoa, 41, of Mesa, Arizona Kourtney Moore, 40, of Akron, Ohio George Martinez-Aviles, M.D., 55, of Peoria, Arizona Vanessa Quijada, 36, of Phoenix...
PRESS RELEASE

Juárez Cartel Leader Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Luis Carlos Vásquez-Barragán, 51, of Nicolás Bravo, Chihuahua, Mexico, was sentenced to prison for possession with intent to distribute at least 50 kilograms but less than 100 kilograms of marijuana. Vásquez-Barragán was arrested...
PRESS RELEASE

Arizona Gear Up for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

PHOENIX – The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 23rd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. Last April, residents of Arizona turned in 8,215...
PRESS RELEASE

Barrio Azteca Gunmen Who Committed Consulate Murders in Ciudad Juarez Sentenced to Life in Prison

El Paso - The Barrio Azteca gunmen directly responsible for the March 2010 murders in Juarez, Mexico of a U.S. Consulate employee, her husband, and the husband of another U.S. Consulate employee were sentenced to life in prison today. “The gunmen who viciously shot and killed Leslie Enriquez, Arthur Redelfs...