LEXINGTON, Ky. - A Lexington man has been sentenced to 365 months in federal prison for distributing heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 29 year-old woman, who had given birth just two weeks before her death. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves sentenced 44 year-old...

WASHINGTON - The Drug Enforcement (DEA) today announced its intention to place the active materials in the kratom plant into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act in order to avoid an imminent hazard to public safety. Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are found in kratom, which is a tropical tree indigenous...

LEXINGTON, Ky. - In early 2015, as part of a comprehensive approach to combat the opioid epidemic facing the state of Kentucky, the United States Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) established an Overdose Prosecution Initiative, which has become an important tool in the battle against illegal drug...

WASHINGTON - The Drug Enforcement (DEA) announced several marijuana- related actions, including actions regarding scientific research and scheduling of marijuana, as well as principles on the cultivation of industrial hemp under the Agricultural Act of 2014. DEA Publishes Responses to Two Pending Petitions to Reschedule Marijuana - DEA has denied...

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills, many containing deadly amounts of fentanyl and fentanyl-related compounds, have made their way into the U.S. drug market, according to a DEA intelligence report released today. Law enforcement nationwide report higher fentanyl availability, seizures, and known overdose deaths than at any...

DETROIT - A medical doctor has been sentenced on charges of unlawfully distributing prescription drug controlled substances, including the Schedule II prescription drug (oxycodone), and health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. McQuade was joined in the announcement by the Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge...

DETROIT - A Detroit Police Lieutenant and a second police officer from the now-disbanded Narcotics Unit of the Detroit Police Department were convicted today by a federal jury in Detroit on charges of robbing drug dealers and stealing drugs and money obtained in police searches, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade...

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Thomas A. Coates, 30, formerly of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of racketeering conspiracy. Coates was originally scheduled to stand trial on July 11th, 2016, in the second of three trials involving the organized criminal enterprise known as the Short North...

MARQUETTE, Mich. - U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr. announced today that Damon Ramone Belcher, 43, of Detroit, Michigan, Corrie Venta Ruth, 36, of Flint, Michigan, and Stephanie Rae Hatch, 41, of Lake Linden, Michigan, were sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge R. Allan Edgar for their roles in...

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Lance Green, 36, formerly of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. Green was scheduled to stand trial on July 11 in the second of three trials involving the organized criminal...