DEA Archived Press Releases

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

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’s National Prescription Drug Take Day Removes Almost 600,000 Pounds of Unneeded Prescription Medications Across the Country

CHICAGO – On Oct. 28, 2023, the community once again emptied their medicine cabinets to help dispose of old, unwanted, and expired medications. Nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement partners collected 599,897 pounds of unneeded medications at 4,675 collection sites nationwide. Locally, the DEA Chicago Field Division collected 97,698 pounds...
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

Indianapolis Pharmacy Technician Charged with Controlled Substances Violations

INDIANAPOLIS - A joint investigation by Drug Enforcement Administration-Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) has led to the arrest of Zennon Gaines, a pharmacy technician from Indianapolis, who has been charged with multiple violations, including felony dealing and possession of a controlled substance by fraud/forgery. The joint investigation...
PRESS RELEASE

Indiana Man Sentenced to 5 Years' Probation for Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Deception

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Lucian Boboia, age 49, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced before U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading...
PRESS RELEASE

Arizona Communities Team up with DEA & Partners Turning in 4 Tons of Unneeded Prescription Medications

PHOENIX – On Oct. 29, 2022, communities across the country demonstrated their continued support for DEA’s bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by safely disposing of more than 647,000 pounds of unneeded medications at nearly 5,000 collection sites across the country. Since its inception in 2010, DEA’s National Prescription...
PRESS RELEASE

Wisconsin Doctor Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Crimes

MILWAUKEE – John G. McGarry, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Wisconsin, and U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on Oct. 27, 2022, Dr. Manuel Thomas, 49, a former pediatrician, had been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman to 18...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Chicago Suspends Registration Number of Suburban Chicago Physician

CHICAGO – Robert Bell, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration - Chicago Division, announced that on March 3, 2022, DEA Chicago Diversion Investigators served an Immediate Suspension Order on Faris Abusharif, M.D., for allegedly committing acts that render the continued use of his DEA Registration inconsistent...
PRESS RELEASE

Mesa Nurse Practitioner Indicted Over Alleged Illegal Opioid Prescribing Practices

PHOENIX - Nurse Practitioner Deborah Ann Cooney, 59 years old, has been indicted on 14 criminal charges related to her alleged illegal opioid prescribing practices at a clinic she operates in Mesa, Arizona. The investigation conducted by the Phoenix Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) developed allegations of improper...