DEA Archived Press Releases

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

Norton doctor pleads guilty to illegally prescribing prescription drugs

ABINGDON, Va. – Dr. Raymond Michael Moore, 61, of Wise, Va., who had a medical practice in Norton, pleaded guilty yesterday in United States District Court in Abingdon, to 14 federal charges, including illegally prescribing more than 25,000 oxycodone pills, more than 17,000 hydrocodone pills, and more than 10,000 benzodiazepine...
PRESS RELEASE

San Joaquin County doctor indicted for prescribing opioids to patients without a medical need

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Dec. 5, a federal grand jury brought a 14-count indictment against a physician, Edmund Kemprud, of Dublin, charging him with prescribing opioids to patients outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purpose, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court...
PRESS RELEASE

Husband and wife sentenced in connection with pain clinic pill mill scheme

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Springville couple involved in a St. Clair County pill mill scheme, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans Division Brad L. Byerley, U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, and IRS-Criminal Investigations Atlanta Field Office Special Agent in...
PRESS RELEASE

Virginia doctor running scheme to prescribe opioids with no medical purpose, pleads guilty

RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man pleaded guilty today to unlawfully prescribing Oxycodone and Tramadol to patients at a Richmond-area pain management practice. According to court documents, Zeljko Stjepanovic, 58, was a doctor working in a pain management practice, initially in Fredericksburg and later in Henrico County. As part of...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA teams with Washington Redskins to tackle opioid addiction

WASHINGTON -- The DEA and the Washington Redskins announced today that they will team up to spread awareness about the ongoing opioid epidemic through a new campaign. This campaign will include public service announcements throughout the month of October and culminate in an epic game-day sponsored event during the October...
PRESS RELEASE

Virginia dentist running elaborate prescription scheme, reported to DEA tip line, sentenced

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach dentist was sentenced today to eight and a half years in prison for conspiracy to distribute prescription opioids and muscle relaxant pills without a legitimate medical purpose. According to court documents, Gary Hartman, 48, was involved in an elaborate scheme to prescribe opioids such...
PRESS RELEASE

Virginia doctor prescribed half a million opioid and fentanyl pills in two years, sentenced to 40 years in prison

ABINGDON, Va. – Joel Smithers, 36, a Martinsville-based doctor, was sentenced Oct. 2, 2019 to 40 years in federal prison and sentenced to pay a special assessment of $86,000, on 861 federal drug charges in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. Smithers was found to have prescribed more than half a...
PRESS RELEASE

Alexandria man with no medical qualifications dispensing thousands of prescriptions, including to children

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former pharmacy owner was sentenced today to four years in prison for fraudulently filling and dispensing thousands of prescription medications, including opioids, outside the usual course of professional practice. Latif Mohamed Chowdhury, aka "Gulam Latif Chaudhury," 29, operated and controlled two now-defunct pharmacies known as Alexandria...
PRESS RELEASE

Eight defendants arrested for distributing millions of opioid pills from India

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Earlier today, a complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging eight defendants, Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss, Harpreet Singh, Parthiban Narayanasamy, Baljeet Singh, Deepak Manchanda, Gulab Gulab, Mukul Chugh and Vikas M. Verma with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance containing Tramadol, a...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA announces results in massive statewide opioid sweep

MIAMI – DEA Miami Division Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright today announced the results of a three-day, statewide enforcement operation targeting opioids. The DEA-led surge brought together hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Florida. The operation targeted all levels of opioid distributors in the...