United States Drug Enforcement Administration

TACOMA, Wash. – The leader of a methamphetamine trafficking ring was sentenced Friday August 30, 2024, in U.S. District Court for federal felonies related to his drug trafficking. Jesus Venegas-Gatica, 37, of Lakewood, Washington was sentenced to 97 months. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo...

COLUMBIA, S.C. – James Brewer, 36, of Columbia was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl. Evidence presented to the court showed that on April 22, 2022, Brewer and the victim, R.B., discussed the exchange of drugs and that Brewer sent R.B. a...

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 47-year-old resident of Matamoros, Mexico, has been sentenced for possession with intent to deliver cocaine and illegal re-entry after removal, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Division Daniel Comeaux and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Ricardo Rios-Alanis pleaded guilty June...

HOUSTON – A 40-year-old associate of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering offenses, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar H. Hamdani. Mexican national Victor Miguel Curiel Valadez...

ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 248 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses after being found in possession of over 500 grams of methamphetamine and two firearms in a stolen vehicle. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents and evidence...

CHICAGO — Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Chicago, and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois announced on Aug. 30, 2024, that William R. Busse III, 41, of Homer Glen, Illinois, has been indicted on federal drug trafficking charges for...

BOSTON – A Fall River man was arrested yesterday and charged with selling drugs and machineguns that he advertised on the Telegram app. Benjamin Hunt, 26, was charged by criminal complaint with three counts of distribution of controlled substances and one count of transferring machineguns. Hunt was arrested yesterday morning...

BOSTON – Earlier today, charges were unsealed against 10 members and associates of the H Block Gang (Appendix A) for drug conspiracy. Separately, nine members and associates of the Mission Hill Gang (Appendix B) were charged with engaging in financial fraud. The charges are the result of separate, multi-year investigations...

EL PASO, Texas – Twenty-one individuals suspected of being affiliated with the Chuco Tango street gang were arrested Thursday in and around El Paso on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and/or the unlawful possession of firearms. The following defendants were indicted...

BOSTON – A Springfield woman was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024 for possessing fentanyl intended for distribution. Karyela Santiago, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served (one day) and three years of supervised release. In May 2024, pleaded guilty to one count of...