United States Drug Enforcement Administration

WASHINGTON – DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day brought in nearly a million pounds of unused, expired, and unwanted medications across the country, the largest amount ever collected in the program’s ten years. Americans once again showed their dedication to remove prescription pills from their homes to prevent addiction...

SAN DIEGO – Documented Lakeside gang member Uriah Odish was sentenced in federal court today to 174 months in prison and five years of supervised release for supplying the fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose of 26-year-old Tiffany Hansen of La Mesa on January 23, 2018. According to his...

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Acting Administrator Timothy Shea welcomed U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Louis DeJoy, Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier, and National Family Partnership President Peggy Sapp for the unveiling of the Drug Free USA Forever stamp at DEA headquarters today. The stamp...

SAN DIEGO – Egisto Salerno, M.D., a San Diego resident, was sentenced to 18 months in custody by U.S. District Judge Cynthia Ann Bashant for causing the illegal distribution of an opioid pain medication commonly known as Norco or Vicodin. Salerno, whose medical practice was located on El Cajon Boulevard...

SAN DIEGO – Javier Felix Bayardo, a resident of Sinaloa, Mexico who was living in the San Diego area, was sentenced in federal court today to 17 years in custody for his role as the organizer of drug and money- laundering conspiracies and for possessing firearms in furtherance of a...

WASHINGTON – DEA kicked off its 2020 National Red Ribbon Campaign earlier this month with its first-ever virtual National Red Ribbon Rally . This year’s theme is “Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Drug Free” and the rally’s guest speaker was Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier. A Doctor of Pharmacy student...

SAN DIEGO – DEA is holding its 19th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 24 at locations across the country. The nationwide event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse...

SAN DIEGO – Christopher Glenn Emison of El Cajon was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia to 168 months in prison for distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl - including the fentanyl that caused the death of 45-year old Derrick Hotchkiss. On April 11, 2019, Hotchkiss...

WASHINGTON – Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea today announced that the DEA will direct resources to help reduce violent crime in communities throughout the country. Under this initiative, called Project Safeguard, DEA will identify and prioritize ongoing drug trafficking investigations with a nexus to violent crime. “D...

WASHINGTON – Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea today announced that the DEA will direct resources to help reduce violent crime in communities throughout the country. Under this initiative, called Project Safeguard, DEA will identify and prioritize ongoing drug trafficking investigations with a nexus to violent crime. “D...