SEATTLE - A long-time Skagit County, Washington drug dealer and gang member was sentenced on June 2, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Cristobal Ortiz, a/k/a Filero, 27, of...

BOISE, Idaho - Sergio Maldonado-Farias, 39, of Monroe, Washington, was sentenced on June 1, 2016, to 18 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Maldonado-Farias, a Mexican national, is likely to be deported to Mexico at the end of his prison term. Maldonado-Farias pleaded guilty on March...

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - Rafael L. Beier, 62, of Kingston, Idaho, was found guilty on May 17, 2016, by a jury on charges of conspiring to distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone, outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. The jury also convicted Dr. Beier...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - On May 18, 2016, an indictment was returned charging a Palmer couple with multiple drug and gun felonies, including one count of maintaining a drug house where a teenager overdosed and died earlier this year. Tod James Rodolph, 40, and Jessica Elizabeth Hopkins, 35, are both named...

SEATTLE - A former police officer and a technology consultant who distributed hundreds of thousands of narcotic pills and other prescription drugs via an illegal internet pharmacy were sentenced to prison on May 13, 2016. Former police officer, Craig Greer, 43, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in...

SEATTLE - Residents of the Pacific (PNW) responded overwhelmingly to the most recent DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. On April 30, 2016, in a four hour period, residents of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska combined, turned in 31,872 (16 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and...

BOISE, Idaho - A Boise jury yesterday returned guilty verdicts against Michael Minas, 50, of Boise, Idaho, on charges that he unlawfully distributed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge set the sentencing for...

SEATTLE - After collecting and destroying 5.5 million pounds-2,762 tons-of unused prescription drugs in the past five years, the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) is continuing its efforts to take back unused, unwanted and expired prescription medications. The DEA invites the public to bring their potentially dangerous, unwanted medicines to one...

SEATTLE - After collecting and destroying 5.5 million pounds-2,762 tons-of unused prescription drugs in the past five years, the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) is continuing its efforts to take back unused, unwanted and expired prescription medications. The DEA invites the public to bring their potentially dangerous, unwanted medicines to one...

SEATTLE - After collecting and destroying 5.5 million pounds-2,762 tons-of unused prescription drugs in the past five years, the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) is continuing its efforts to take back unused, unwanted and expired prescription medications. The DEA invites the public to bring their potentially dangerous, unwanted medicines to one...