ALBANY, N.Y. - United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian announced his office reached a civil settlement with Dr. J. Louis Pecora, an Endicott, New York ophthalmologist, for $75,000.00. As part of the settlement, Dr. Pecora also voluntarily surrendered his Drug Enforcement (DEA) numbers, which enables physicians to prescribe controlled substances...

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Eight United States Postal Service employees at the Logistical and Distribution Priority Mail Processing Center in Bethpage, Long (“Bethpage L&DC”) were arrested last night and charged with theft of mail and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 129 pounds of marijuana over...

MANHATTAN, N.Y. - Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New (SDNY), and Loretta E. Lynch, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New (EDNY), announced that Daniel Barrera Barrera, also known as “Loco Barrera,” a citizen of Colombia, pleaded guilty today in the...

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Wenceslao Cruz Ochoa, 34, of Sacramento, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on November 13, 2014, Ochoa was stopped by a Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy on Interstate 5 for a...

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Fortunato Rodelo-Lara and Jesus Wilfredo Almendares-Vasquez were convicted of two counts of engaging in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of distribution of cocaine by a federal jury on Nov. 18, 2014, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent...

WASHINGTON - One of the alleged leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a Mexican drug-trafficking cartel responsible for importing multi-ton quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, was extradited to the United States from Mexico on Nov. 15, 2014, and made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S...

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Earlier today, following two weeks of trial, a federal jury in Brooklyn, New York, returned a guilty verdict against Henry Fiorentino on both charges of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies and to distribute cocaine and heroin. The charges arose out of the defendant’s scheme to rob...

FRESNO, Calif. - United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Gustavo Angel Salinas, 26, of Bakersfield, today to 21 months in prison for conspiring to violate federal narcotics laws. Salinas was sentenced following his guilty plea last August. According to court documents and proceedings, Salinas worked as a “budtender”...

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - James J. Hunt, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in (DEA, New York) , and Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York announced the filing of a civil action by the United States against Lawrence Womack, 48, an Islip Terrace, New York...

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Billy Slick and Danielle Trombly Slick appeared in federal court in Plattsburgh, NY this morning and pleaded not guilty to charges related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, announced, United States Attorney, Northern District of New York Richard S. Hartunian, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent...