LOS ANGELES – A High Desert physician remains in federal custody today after his arrest Wednesday on charges of illegally dispensing prescriptions for often-abused controlled substances – including opioid-based medications – during telemedicine sessions with “patients” from across the United States. Dr. Raphael Tomas Malikian, 36, who resides in Llano...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Kansas, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than three kilograms of heroin that was intercepted by law enforcement officers when it was shipped from California to Kansas City, Missouri. Solomon B. Hawthorne, 31...

HOUSTON – Today, Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division diversion investigators served three Immediate Suspension Orders that immediately suspended the DEA registrations held by Woodfield Distribution, LLC. and Woodfield Pharmaceuticals, LLC. (collectively, Woodfield) for failure to maintain effect controls against the diversion of controlled substances and the imminent danger to public...

NEWARK, N.J. – Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division Susan A. Gibson and Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Rachael A. Honig announced an Essex County, New Jersey, man with previous felony convictions today admitted illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as...

Greenbelt, Md., – Ludin Alfredo Ipina-Ipina, age 33, of Chillum, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute over 2,000 grams of cocaine. The guilty plea was announced by Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division; Jonathan Lenzner, Acting United States Attorney for the...

Greenbelt, Md., – Ian Carlton Alexander a/k/a “Shawn Alexander”, age 49, of Towson, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The guilty plea was announced by Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge...

ALBANY, NY – Dr. Larry Bruni has agreed to pay the United States $50,000 to resolve allegations that on numerous occasions from 2016 through 2020, he prescribed controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose or outside the usual course of a professional medical practice, in violation of the Controlled Substances...

EL PASO – A former El Paso police officer pleaded guilty on Aug. 9, 2021 to conspiracy to maintain a drug-involved premise. According to court documents, Monica Garcia, 24, conspired with Fred Saenz, her stepfather and co-defendant, to use Saenz’s residence to distribute cocaine. Agents determined that Saenz was using...

ALEXANDRIA, Va., – A Georgia man pleaded guilty yesterday to distributing illicit prescription drugs over the Darknet and shipping them across the country via the U.S Postal Service. According to court documents, from around April 2020 through October 2020, Cullen Roberts, 23, of Duluth, Georgia, used the moniker “Pillpusher” to...

TAMPA, Fla. – David Burkes (52, Safety Harbor) was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for distributing narcotics, resulting in death to one individual and seriously bodily injury to another. Burkes had pleaded guilty on April 21, 2021. According to the plea agreement, beginning on Aug. 12, 2019, Burkes distributed fentanyl...