SAN DIEGO - America is presently experiencing an epidemic of addiction, overdose and death due to abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioid painkillers. 6.4 million Americans age 12 and over-2.4 percent of the population-abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health released last month...

EL PASO - Christopher Chavez, 40, of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced today to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a cocaine trafficking organization that transported large amounts of cocaine into Connecticut. Chavez also was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine...

EL PASO - A Barrio (BA) gang associate was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy and drug trafficking offenses. Luis Humberto Hernandez Celis, aka Pac, 32, of El Paso, was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone of the Western District of...

SAN DIEGO - Physician Naga Raja Thota, a pain specialist with an office in El Cajon, was arrested this morning and charged with distributing oxycodone and other highly addictive drugs without any legitimate medical purpose in exchange for sex acts. The doctor was taken into custody by San Diego Drug...

EL PASO - Today, federal, state and local authorities arrested seven individuals in the El Paso area based on federal drug trafficking and weapons charges. An eighth defendant was arrested back in June 2016. Those arrested today include: Manuel Almanzar ,44, San Elizario, TX Oralia Almanza, 43, San Elizario Adrian...

EL PASO - A Barrio (BA) gang member pleaded guilty today for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy, Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy of the U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) El Paso Field Division; Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Richard L...

ALBUQUERQUE - Daniel Jiron, 41, of Albuquerque, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to heroin and methamphetamine trafficking charges. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Jiron will be sentenced between 72 to 96 months to prison followed by five years of supervised release. The guilty plea was announced...

ALBUQUERQUE - Destiny Stephenson, 35, of Roswell, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges. Stephenson is one of 41 individuals charged in Sept. 2015, with drug trafficking offenses as a result of an eight-month multi-agency investigation by the FBI, the DEA, Chaves...

EL PASO - This morning, federal, state and local authorities arrested a Sureños gang member and an associate charged in connection with methamphetamine trafficking in El Paso announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., 34th Judicial District Attorney Jaime Esparza...

ALBUQUERQUE - Ten individuals are facing heroin trafficking charges as the result of a DEA-led investigation targeting a heroin trafficking ring operating out of Sunland Park, N.M. The eight-month investigation concluded this morning after nine of the 10 defendants had been arrested. Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy of...