DEA Archived Press Releases

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

Madera Pharmacist Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Illegally Trafficking Hundreds of Thousands of Opiate Pills

FRESNO, Calif. — Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 49, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for illegally distributing oxycodone and hydrocodone. Ntukogu was a pharmacist in Madera who dispensed more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions, all in exchange for cash...
PRESS RELEASE

Federal Court Shuts Down San Joaquin County Pharmacy and Orders $1 Million in Civil Penalties

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nor-Cal Pharmacies Inc., doing business as Lockeford Drug, and pharmacist/owner Lawrence Howen have agreed to pay $1 million in penalties to resolve allegations of violations of the Controlled Substances Act, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark announced...
PRESS RELEASE

Santa Rosa Doctor Sentenced to More than Two Years in Prison for Unlawfully Prescribing Fentanyl and Oxycodone

SAN FRANCISCO –Thomas Keller, formerly a pain management doctor in Santa Rosa, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for distributing Schedule II and IV controlled substances outside the scope of his professional practice and without a legitimate medical need, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Drug Enforcement...
PRESS RELEASE

Suburban Chicago Woman Sentenced to 1 Year for Writing Fraudulent Opioid Prescriptions

CHICAGO - Robert Bell, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division, and U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch, Jr., of the Northern District of Illinois today announced that an administrative assistant at a suburban Chicago medical practice has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Issues Public Safety Alert on Sharp Increase in Fake Prescription Pills Containing Fentanyl and Meth

CHICAGO – Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a Public Safety Alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. DEA’s Public Safety Alert, the first in six years, seeks to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge...
PRESS RELEASE

Two Chicago Area Physicians Indicted on Narcotics and Health Care Fraud

CHICAGO — Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell, Drug Enforcement Administration-Chicago Division and John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois announced that two suburban Chicago physicians have been indicted on federal criminal charges for allegedly prescribing opioids to individuals who lacked a legitimate...
PRESS RELEASE

Federal Judge Sentences “Pill Mill” Co-owner to Prison

MILWAUKEE – Robert J. Bell, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration- Chicago Division and Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that on March 18, 2021, Susan Moyer (58) of Milwaukee, the former co-owner and office manager of the “Compassionate Care...
PRESS RELEASE

Driver in armed robbery of Madera pharmacy indicted

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Michael Erin Vandeventer, 21, of Sparks, Nevada, charging him with interference with commerce by robbery, known as Hobbs Act Robbery, and conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Drug Enforcement...
PRESS RELEASE

Three individuals indicted for conspiring to traffic over 10,000 fentanyl pills, 10 lbs methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes

FRESNO, Calif. — Jorge Luis Velasquez, 33, of Mexico, Omar Velazquez Landeros, 27, of Bakersfield, and Victor Romero Galvan, 29, of Mexico, were indicted today for conspiring and possessing with intent to distribute over 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl and approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine, and for carrying...
PRESS RELEASE

Wisconsin physician agrees to pay penalties to resolve allegations of prescribing opioids illegally and violating False Claims Act

MILWAUKEE - DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Paul E. Maxwell and United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger announced today that Dr. Mehran Heydarpour of Brookfield, Wisconsin, agreed to pay $175,000 to resolve allegations that he prescribed opioid pain medications in violation of the Controlled Substances Act and that he...