United States Drug Enforcement Administration

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...

DALLAS, TX – A Denton physician has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations announced Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Eduardo A. Chávez today. Stanley Charles Evans, 63, pleaded guilty on Sep. 12, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances and health care...

FRESNO, Calif. — Sawtantra Chopra, 76, of Modesto, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of illegally prescribing opioids and other medication, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark announced. According to court documents, Chopra admitted prescribing drugs — including hydrocodone, alprazolam...

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Dr. George Barrio, a pain management physician who formerly practiced medicine at the NeuroMedical Institute in Panama City, agreed to pay $225,000 to resolve allegations that he unlawfully prescribed opioids and other controlled substances to patients. The settlement was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney...

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...

BOSTON – A former nurse has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly diverting opioids from a Boston-area hospital. Andrea Falzano, 38, of Winchester, was indicted on three counts of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances by fraud, deception and subterfuge. Falzano was arrested this morning and will...

Washington DC – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division seized over 8.3 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl in 2022. The division, which covers the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia confiscated nearly 160,000 fake pills containing fentanyl, and more than 250 pounds of fentanyl powder throughout the year...

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Norman Rosen, age 84, of Towson, Maryland, to four months of home detention as part of 18 months of probation, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone in connection with his...

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Norman Rosen, age 84, of Towson, Maryland, to four months of home detention as part of 18 months of probation, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone in connection with his...

BOSTON – Northeast Hospital Corporation (Northeast), part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, has agreed to pay $1.9 million in civil penalties to resolve allegations that Northeast violated the Controlled Substance Act (the CSA) by failing to keep accurate records of controlled substances, including opioids. The CSA requires accurate inventorying and...