DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
45 Results - Showing 21 to 30
PRESS RELEASE

Former Virginia Veterinarian Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Madison Heights, Virginia man and former veterinarian pleaded guilty to a pair of misdemeanor drug charges related to his diversion of hydromorphone, an opioid drug also known under the trade name of “Dilaudid.” Patrick Gries, 54, pleaded guilty last week to one count of adulteration of...
PRESS RELEASE

Former Virginia Veterinarian Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Madison Heights, Virginia man, and former veterinarian, pleaded guilty to a pair of drug charges related to his diversion of hydromorphone, an opioid drug also known under the trade name of “Dilaudid.” Patrick Gries, 54, pleaded guilty last week to the adulteration of a drug held...
PRESS RELEASE

Jacksonville Pharmacist, Pharmacy Owner Admit to Charges Related to Illegally Filling Drug Prescriptions Issued by South Georgia Doctor

BRUNSWICK, GA: A pharmacist and a pharmacy owner await sentencing after pleading guilty to charges related to a conspiracy to unlawfully dispense controlled substances. Gilbert Nelson Weise, Jr., 58, of Jacksonville, Fla., faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to dispense controlled...
PRESS RELEASE

Pain Clinic Doctor and Staff Member Charged with Unlawful Distribution of Opioids

TAMPA, Fla. – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the return of an indictment charging Dr. Qing McGaha (55, Tampa) with conspiracy to commit unlawful distribution of controlled substances and unlawful distribution of controlled substances for no legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice, as...
PRESS RELEASE

Leader of Wholesale Drug Distribution Network Pleads Guilty to Distributing Synthetic Cannabinoids and Laundering Millions in Proceeds

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Los Angeles man pleaded guilty today to being the head of a conspiracy involving the distribution of wholesale quantities of synthetic cannabinoids—commonly known as “spice” or “K2”—and laundering millions of dollars in the proceeds of the sale of that spice. According to court documents, from 2017...
PRESS RELEASE

Man Indicted for Taking Controlled Substances from Kansas Hospital

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A federal grand jury in Kansas returned an indictment charging an Overland Park, Kansas, man on two counts of tampering with a consumer product, one count of possession of fentanyl by deception and subterfuge, and one count of possession of hydromorphone by deception and subterfuge. According...
PRESS RELEASE

Highlands County Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal Prison

MIAMI – Several Highlands County men have been sentenced in South Florida federal district court to prison terms for their roles in a powder and crack cocaine drug trafficking ring that had become entrenched in the Lake Placid neighborhood of Highway Park, Florida. A law enforcement operation handled by the...
PRESS RELEASE

Dark Web Vendor of Opioids and Counterfeit U.S. Currency Pleads Guilty

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Utica, New York man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges relating to his sale of over $1.2 million in opioid pills and counterfeit U.S. currency on multiple dark web criminal marketplaces. According to court documents, from around October 2016 through February 2021, Albie Pagan, 65, operated under...
PRESS RELEASE

Former Roanoke pharmacist sentenced for tampering with powerful narcotics

ROANOKE, Va. – Bryan Wade Lewis, a former pharmacist at Home Choice Partners in Roanoke, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court for tampering with a consumer product, hydromorphone, that affected interstate commerce. Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's Washington Division and Acting United States Attorney Daniel...
PRESS RELEASE

New Hampshire businessman pleads guilty to spice distribution & fatal overdose

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Seabrook, New Hampshire man pleaded guilty today to his role in a nationwide conspiracy to distribute synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as “spice” or “K2.” According to court documents, William Walsh, 56, operated two shops in Seabrook—“Up N Smoke” and “The Smoking Monkey”—from which he sold retail...