United States Drug Enforcement Administration

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Osage Beach, Mo., nurse pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally obtaining fentanyl from a hospital for his own use. Charles Welch Jr., 65, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a federal...

Washington, DC – As schools in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia open their doors to students and teachers this month, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division is urging the community to have important conversations about the consequences of drug experimentation and misuse as the new school year...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An anesthesiologist at a Lee’s Summit, Mo., hospital pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally taking prescription fentanyl from the hospital. Roman Peplinski, 37, of Kansas City, Mo., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As students return to school across the DMV, the DEA's Washington Division urges families to have open conversations about the dangers of drug experimentation and use. “Our citizens, especially our youth, are being exposed to an illicit drug supply that is more dangerous than ever before, making...

Albuquerque, N.M. – As part of Operation Engage, DEA Albuquerque has partnered with Bernalillo County to host a free CADCA training for employers seeking to address problematic substance use and misuse in the workplace. The 90-minute training will discuss how problematic substance use impacts businesses and their employees, how to...

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—Former Advanced Nurse Practitioner Jessica Joyce Spayd (52) was sentenced in U.S. District Court yesterday to 30 years (360 months) imprisonment for illegally prescribing and dispensing opioids outside the scope of legitimate medical practice that resulted in the deaths of five people between 2014 and 2019. United States District...

RALEIGH, N.C. – A former Fuquay-Varina nurse was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for tampering with painkillers intended for surgery patients. On March 9, 2022, Melissa Elizabeth Chacona pled guilty to the charges. “Surgical patients trust healthcare providers to give them the...

WASHINGTON – DEA is proud to join “Song for Charlie” and many of our valued law enforcement, public health, and non-profit partners in recognizing National Fentanyl Awareness Day. Tomorrow represents an important opportunity to remember the victims of fentanyl poisoning and educate people in our communities about the deadly threat...

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 18 months in prison and his nursing license forfeited after stealing controlled substances from his employer. According to court documents, in March 2021, Alec Ramirez, 32, of Overland Park, Kan., removed vials of fentanyl and hydromorphone from an automated dispensing...

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...