HAMMOND, Ind. - Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and M. Scott Proctor, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, announced that Fernando Porras Jr., 64, of Hammond, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading...

URBANA, Ill. – Shane R. Catone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and Gregory M. Gilmore, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, announced that a federal jury returned eight guilty verdicts on November 19, 2025, against Marcus “Slim” McKinney, 49...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, John Avendano, 21, of Phoenix, Arizona, was charged by federal criminal complaint in Phoenix, Arizona with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. According to the complaint, on September 22, a Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) East Valley Drug Enforcement Task...

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Alfred Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and Acting U.S. Attorney M. Scott Proctor for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Lajuane Broadus, 48, Fort Wayne, was sentenced to 200 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised...

CHICAGO — Sheila Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois announced that James Howard, 32, of Frankfort, Illinois, and Shantel Robinson, 31, of Oak Lawn, Illinois, were charged with drug conspiracy. Federal...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and Acting U.S. Attorney Tina L. Nommay for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Ezequiel Rosa-Hernandez, 47, of Erie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jefferson Alejandro Lopez Alcaraz, 45, of Phoenix, was sentenced on February 13, 2025, by United States District Judge John T. Tuchi to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, to run consecutive to the 60-month sentence Lopez Alcaraz is currently serving in CR-21-00451-TUC-JCH...

CHICAGO — Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a suburban Chicago man for allegedly trafficking firearms and drugs. An indictment returned...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Gaytan-Ramirez, 34, an undocumented Mexican National living in Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 151 months, followed by three years supervised release. Gaytan-Ramirez pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl on November 5...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Alfred Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Juan Aquino, 53, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading...