United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States has filed a civil complaint against nurse practitioner Joan Rubinger, registered in Stockton, that alleges a long-running nationwide scheme to sell illegal opioid prescriptions for cash, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced. The...

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...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Aug. 1, 2024, Sukhmanpreet Singh Jawanda, 22, of Yuba City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl pills and illegally dealing firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge...

OAKLAND, Calif. – Parto Karimi, a former Bay Area doctor, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for distributing powerful opioids outside the scope of medical practice, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent...

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal magistrate judge has ordered that Defendant Milton Joel Varela Arteaga-a Honduran national who resides in Oakland, California, and was recently indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing large quantities of fentanyl on three separate occasions in 2023-be detained pending trial on fentanyl trafficking charges...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of and filing of charges against Dr. Arash Padidar, a Santa Clara County doctor accused of illegally prescribing opioids to patients. The arrest and charges are the result of an investigation into an alleged two-years-long illegal prescription...

SAN JOSE, Calif. – A federal jury yesterday convicted family medicine physician Donald Siao of twelve counts of distributing the controlled substances Oxycodone and Hydrocodone outside the scope of his usual professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)...

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...

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Raul Jimenez-Verduzco was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge...

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Uriel Sotelo-Patino, 35, of Selma, charging him with possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced. According...