EL PASO, Texas - In El Paso, 36-year-old Manuel Gerardo (aka “Shorty”), an El Paso cell ringleader for the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes drug trafficking organization, will remain in federal custody pending trial for allegedly operating a Continuing Criminal (CCE) responsible for the smuggling and distribution of more than 1,000 kilograms...

PHOENIX - - On August 12, 2013, Artemio Pena-Torrecillas, 26, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Boltonto 40 years in prison. Pena-Torrecillas was found guilty by a federal jury on May 30, 2013, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or...

TUCSON, Ariz. - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman today announced the arrest of Gustavo Nunez and Ilda Garcia on felony charges including Possession of Dangerous (ARS 13-3407 A.1) and Practicing Medicine without a (ARS 13-3455). The charges arise from a three-month investigation conducted by the DEA’s...

EL PASO, Texas - Twelve individuals involved in the transportation and storage of large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana have been arrested and are facing federal prosecution announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, United States Attorney Robert Pitman, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent...

PHOENIX - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman announced today that the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) reported the designation of three individuals and three entities linked to Ismael Zambada Garcia, one of the principal leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. Those designated...

PHOENIX - On July 19, 2013, Michael Rocky Lane, 51, of Cave Creek, Arizona, was found guilty of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substance analogues and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substance analogues by a federal jury in Phoenix. The case was tried before U.S. District Judge...

PHOENIX - On July 8, 2013, Indalecio Castro-Ponce, 40, of San Luis, Ariz. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Boltonto 240 months imprisonment and a $3,000 fine. Castro-Ponce was found guilty by a federal jury on April 12, 2013, of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent...

TUCSON, Ariz. - On July 1, 2013, Patagonia, Arizona residents Fabian Monge, 34, Isabel Monge-Sierras, 43, Mary (Monge) Carlson, 32, and Frank Lopez, 49 were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collinsto serve terms of imprisonment of 12.5 years, 7 years, 5 years, and 7.5 years, respectively. After the...

JUNE 27, (ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) - During a press conference this afternoon, federal, state and local officials announced the results of the multi-agency enforcement operation in New Mexico which was part of yesterday’s DEA-led enforcement operations in 35 states targeting the upper echelon of dangerous designer synthetic drug trafficking organizations that...

ALPINE, Texas - Two men face federal drug trafficking charges related to the discovery of more than 480 pounds of marijuana on a Van Horn Independent School (ISD) school bus last year announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and DEA-El Paso Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit. A...