United States Drug Enforcement Administration

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...

OAKLAND, Calif. – Kameron Patricia Reid pleaded guilty today in federal court to two counts of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Santa Rita Jail inmate, announced United States Attorney Stephane M. Hinds, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in...

SAN FRANCISCO – Emil Arriola Melendez was sentenced in federal court today to 46 months in prison for the distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. Senior United States District Judge Maxine M. Chesney handed...

FRESNO, Calif. —Albert Dominguez Jr., 52, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon announced. According to court documents, Dominguez conspired with Leonor Sarabia-Ramirez, 52, of Modesto, to distribute and did, in...

SAN DIEGO – Drug dealer Saul Caro pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he sold the fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a thirty-five-year-old San Diego resident, identified in court records as M.S. According to his plea agreement, on April 11, 2021, Caro and the victim exchanged...

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...

SAN DIEGO – On April 30, 2022, communities across the country demonstrated their support for DEA’s annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by dropping off more than 720,000 pounds of unneeded medications at 5,144 collection sites. Since 2010, DEA, along with its law enforcement partners, has collected nearly 16...

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Victor Nevarez, Juan Rivera Arzate, Adhemar Castaneda Becerril, and Pedro Gaona Salse were four of six charged defendants arrested and arraigned last week in federal court on narcotics trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade...

SAN DIEGO – In an effort to save lives, DEA is proud to join “Song for Charlie” and many of our valued public health, non-profit, and law enforcement partners in recognizing the first ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This day is an effort to educate individuals around the dangerous threat...

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Office of the United States Attorney filed federal criminal complaints charging Benjamin Reily Bliss; Louis Alexander, aka “lulu;” and Brandon William Carranza-Arthur with crimes related to the distribution of fentanyl to high school students in Monterey County. The charges were announced by Drug Enforcement Administration...