DEA Archived Press Releases

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

Sweeping DEA Operation Targets Pharmacy Burglaries and the Illegal Sale of Addictive Prescription Medications

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has seen an increase in burglaries at independent pharmacies across the country. Nearly 900 burglaries involving the theft of controlled substances were reported to DEA in 2023. Stolen prescription medications adversely impact these small businesses while also putting patients and the community at...
PRESS RELEASE

Psychiatrist Sentenced to 48 Months for Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances

Milwaukee, Wis. - John McGarry, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Milwaukee and U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad, for the Eastern District of Wisconsin that on March 4, 2024, John D. Whelan (age: 77), a psychiatrist, was sentenced to a term of 48 months’ imprisonment followed by...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Announces Settlement with Morris & Dickson Co., LLC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced today a settlement with pharmaceutical distributor Morris & Dickson Co., LLC for failing to maintain effective controls against diversion of controlled substances, including failure to report to DEA thousands of unusually large orders of oxycodone and hydrocodone. Morris & Dickson, which...
PRESS RELEASE

Two Suburban Chicago Physicians Sentenced to Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud

CHICAGO — Shiela Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Chicago Field Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois announced that two suburban Chicago physicians have been sentenced to federal prison for prescribing opioids to individuals who lacked a legitimate medical need...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Executes Operation Bottleneck to Prevent the Diversion of Controlled Substances and Keep Communities Safe

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced administrative actions against six DEA-registered companies which, together, failed to account for more than a million doses of opioids. Under DEA initiative “Operation Bottleneck,” DEA served an Immediate Suspension Order and five Orders to Show Cause over a one-month period from...
PRESS RELEASE

Illinois Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Theft of Medical Products and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Todd C. Smith, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois announced that Issac Jackson, 29, of Le Roy, Illinois, was sentenced on Sept. 7, 2023, to 30 months in...
PRESS RELEASE

Physician Assistant at Chicago Medical Practice Charged with Fraudulently Writing Opioid Prescriptions

CHICAGO — Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois announced that a physician assistant who formerly worked at a Chicago medical practice has been charged in federal court with fraudulently...
PRESS RELEASE

Suburban Chicago Physician Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prescribing Opioids Without a Medical Exam

CHICAGO — Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois announced that a suburban Chicago physician has been sentenced to a federal prison term for prescribing opioids to patients without a...
PRESS RELEASE

Wisconsin Naturopathic Practitioner Sentenced to Twelve Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawful Prescribing of Controlled Substances

MILWAUKEE - John J. McGarry, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Milwaukee, and U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 12, 2023, Michele Nickels. was sentenced to12 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by two years...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA, SAMHSA Extend COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescribing Controlled Medications for Six Months While Considering Comments from the Public

WASHINGTON – Today, ahead of the expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued the “Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications” – a temporary rule that extends telemedicine flexibilities...