COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Antoinne James Holmes, 23, of Cusick, Washington, was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Holmes to 151 months in prison and ordered that he pay...

SEATTLE, Wash. – he Drug Enforcement Administration is advising the public of an alarming emerging trend of colorful fentanyl available across the United States. In August 2022, DEA and our law enforcement partners seized brightly-colored fentanyl and fentanyl pills in 26 states. Dubbed “rainbow fentanyl” in the media, this trend...

SEATTLE, Wash. – One of the leaders of a violent international drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the Puget Sound region pleaded guilty Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Jose Elias Barbosa, 37, of Kent, Washington, faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison...

SEATTLE – The Arlington, Washington based leader of a prolific and violent drug trafficking ring pleaded guilty this week to federal drug, gun, and money laundering crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Cesar Valdez-Sanudo, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and carrying...

SEATTLE– In an effort to save lives, DEA is proud to join “Song for Charlie” and many of our valued public health, non-profit, and law enforcement partners in recognizing the first ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This day is an effort to educate individuals around the dangerous threat that fentanyl...

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced to 14 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl resulting in the death of another individual. In issuing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline noted that the 21-year-old victim had his...

YAKIMA, Wash. – Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian has sentenced Jesus B. Zavala-Alvarez, 28, of Kennewick, Washington, to 135 months in federal prison for his role in guarding a stash house, where the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized over 8 pounds of methamphetamine, 64 ounces of liquid methamphetamine and...

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, recently launched Operation Engage Spokane, which is a comprehensive community-level approach for addressing the drug epidemic – focusing on fentanyl distribution – through prevention strategies, facilitating conversations, and collaboration...

SPOKANE, Washington – La Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA, por sus siglas en inglés), en colaboración con la Oficina del Fiscal de los Estados Unidos del Distrito Este de Washington, ha puesto en marcha recientemente la Operación Engage en Spokane, la cual es un enfoque integral a nivel...

POCATELLO – A Murtaugh man and a Pocatello man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Between January 1 and March 24, 2021, Antonio Verduzco-Arreola, 40, of Murtaugh, and Joseph Alexander Huber, 35, of Pocatello, entered into an agreement to distribute controlled substances in the Pocatello area. On...