DEA Archived Press Releases

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

16 Defendants Charged in Superseding Indictment Alleging Bulk Shipments of Cocaine to Canada, Four Murders

LOS ANGELES – A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder and 15 other defendants have been charged in a 16-count superseding indictment for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada and other...
PRESS RELEASE

Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Attempting to Distribute Methamphetamine and Receiving Bribes

SAN DIEG O - Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Hector Hernandez, who admitted that he took bribes to smuggle methamphetamine and people across the U.S.-Mexico border while on duty, was sentenced in federal court today to 87-months in prison. Hernandez pleaded guilty in January, admitting that he agreed to use...
PRESS RELEASE

Guatemalan Leader of Multi-Ton Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Almost 22 Years in Prison

SAN DIEGO -Josue Adan Lemus-Lara, aka “Fenix,” was sentenced in federal court today to 260 months in prison. His sentence follows his conviction after a week-long jury trial in November 2023 where he was convicted on all charges in a maritime cocaine trafficking conspiracy. During a multi-year wiretap investigation led...
PRESS RELEASE

ATF/DEA/LAPD Take Down San Fernando Valley Drug Trafficking Ring

LOS ANGELES – Seven members of a San Fernando Valley drug trafficking crew were indicted on a 15-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they ran an operation that sold cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Law enforcement arrested four of the seven defendants earlier this morning. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms...
PRESS RELEASE

Four Men Charged with Allegedly Running Drug Trafficking Ring that Shipped Wholesale Amounts of Narcotics to Indo-Pacific Region

LOS ANGELES – Two Orange County men have been arrested on a three-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they ran a transnational drug trafficking organization that exported wholesale amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine – concealed within commercial products such as instant noodle packets, car parts, emergency kits, and subwoofers –...
PRESS RELEASE

Harbor Area Man Arraigned on Federal Indictment Alleging He Knowingly Sold Fentanyl to Two Victims, One of Whom Later Died

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles Harbor region man was arraigned today on criminal charges alleging he is a drug dealer who knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl to two victims – one of whom died, and the other was seriously injured by the powerful synthetic opioid. Antjuan Stephone Doss, 33...
PRESS RELEASE

Leader of Guatemalan Drug Trafficking Organization that Smuggled Multi-Ton Quantities of Drugs Sentenced to 17.5 Years

SAN DIEGO - William Estuardo Lemus-Lara, aka “Humilde,” a high-level cartel boss from Guatemala, was sentenced in federal court today to 210 months in federal prison. According to public documents, Lemus-Lara was identified as the leader of a transcontinental criminal organization that moved multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America...
PRESS RELEASE

Former LAX TSA Officer Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Charges

LOS ANGELES – A federal judge last week sentenced a former Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Officer to 2 years and 3 months in federal prison for participating in a narcotics-trafficking conspiracy. United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt on Thursday, September 1st sentenced ex-TSA Officer Ronald McCrea, 32, who pleaded...
PRESS RELEASE

Multi-Year Investigation Leads to Indictment

SAN DIEGO – A two-year investigation has led to the indictment of 26 defendants for international drug smuggling, drug trafficking, and related conspiracy offenses. One of the defendants, Raul Barajas-Padilla, appeared in federal court yesterday for an initial appearance on the indictment. So far, 17 defendants have been arrested. Efforts...
PRESS RELEASE

Former U.S. Marine Angel Dominguez Ramirez Jr. Sentenced for Leading International Cocaine Distribution Organization

SAN DIEGO – Angel Dominguez Ramirez Jr., a former U.S. Marine with dual U.S. and Mexican citizenship, was sentenced in federal court to 195 months in prison for leading an international organization that transported ton-quantities of cocaine from South America to Mexico and into the United States. Dominguez had previously...