United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MADISON, Wis. – Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Chicago Division and Acting United States Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea announced that David E. Eckerle, M.D., a Madison, Wisconsin physician, entered into a settlement agreement to pay $110,000 to resolve civil allegations that he violated...

CHICAGO - Robert J. Bell, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois announced, a federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted five suspected associates of the Sinaloa Cartel on...

CHICAGO – DEA Acting Administrator D. Christopher Evans and DEA Chicago Division Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell announced the release of the 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment, DEA’s annual publication outlining the threats posed to the United States by domestic and international drug trafficking and the abuse of...

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Chicago Division, announced that the DEA Merrillville District Office, with assistance from the United States Marshal Service, arrested Nurse Practitioner (N.P.) Chijioke Richard Jimonu, 63, of Hammond, Indiana, for illegally prescribing controlled substance medications. N.P. Jimonu...

MADISON, Wis. – Robert J. Bell, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration- Chicago Division and Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Phillip Thomas, Madison, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 100 months...

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – DEA Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Eduardo A. Chavez of the Dallas Field Division announced that the Claremore, Oklahoma-based non-profit organization “Light of Hope” (LOH) has been named one of two 2020 DEA National Community Drug Prevention Award winners. In addition to the national recognition, LOH...

SHERMAN, TX – DEA in Dallas announced a Sherman, Texas, has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations. Anthony Wade Buford, 35, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2020, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison...

CHICAGO – Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell, Chicago Field Division announced the expansion of Operation Crystal Shield. This expansion includes the designation of two additional methamphetamine “transportation hubs” in 2021. Through this effort, DEA is attacking the entire supply chain, locating and seizing meth...

MADISON, Wis. – Robert J. Bell, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration – Chicago Division and Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jeffrey Costillo, 33, Blaine, Minnesota, and Denise Kraimer, 27, Columbia Heights, Minnesota, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge William...

DALLAS - United States Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Dallas, Texas, have launched an investigation following the seizure of approximately 1,950 pounds of methamphetamine that was secreted in the bed of a refrigerated tractor-trailer. The discovery came following a traffic stop in Denton County, Texas, on October 8, 2020. During...