United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PHOENIX - On December 19, 2012, Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement (DEA) Phoenix Field Division and U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo announced that Francisco Alfredo Montes-Vargas, of Culiacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised...

PHOENIX - On April 25, 2012, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 76 count superseding indictment against 11 defendants charging them with multiple crimes including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, structuring financial transactions through a domestic financial institution and promotional money laundering. The defendants are...

McALLEN, Texas - Jose Luis Tovar, 47, and his brother Jerry Tovar, 40, both of Mission, are heading to federal prison as a result of their convictions related to a corruption investigation in Duval County, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Jose...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Tex. - A luxury condominium located in South Padre Island alleged to be owned by former Tamaulipas Mexico Governor Tomas Yarrington has been successfully forfeited to the government, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Peña and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. The real...

HOUSTON, Texas - The Drug Enforcement (DEA) continues to warn the public about criminals posing as DEA Special Agents or other law enforcement personnel. This criminal activity continues to occur, despite significant public attention to the illicit scheme. DEA offices nationwide regularly receive telephone calls from concerned citizens who are...

PHOENIX - Agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) along with various state and local law enforcement agencies executed 12 search warrants yesterday and seized more than 20,000 units of synthetic drugs in the second statewide enforcement action against the synthetic designer drug industry responsible for the production and sale...

LAREDO, Texas - Samuel Walker, 29, an active duty U.S. Army member, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Calvin Epps, aka Beef, 28, of Hopkins, S.C., have been found guilty on a variety of charges in relation to a murder-for-hire and drug trafficking conspiracy, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge...

HOUSTON - Francisco Santibanez, 33, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison following his conviction for use of interstate commerce facilities in murder-for-hire, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Javier F. Peña and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Santibanez, of Houston, pleaded guilty Dec. 5...

LAREDO, Texas - Two drug and money laundering co-conspirators are headed to federal prison as a result of a long-term Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Investigation dubbed “Operation Havoc,” Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge and Javier F. Peña and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. One...

LAREDO, Texas - Two men have entered pleas of guilty and two more have received sentences for their roles in a money laundering investigation relating to the laundering of millions of drug proceeds by Los Zetas, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Javier F Peña and United States Attorney...