Seattle – The leader of a violent, prolific drug trafficking ring was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Cesar Valdez-Sanudo, 36, pleaded guilty in June 2022 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit money laundering and...

Seattle – The mid-level leader of a drug distribution cell that was one of the most violent seen in the Western District of Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Jose Daniel Espinoza, 35, was indicted and...

POCATELLO – Adam Lee Vallely, 46, of Blackfoot, was sentenced to life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced. According to court records and evidence presented at trial...

Yakima, Washington – On January 24, 2023, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Alexis Sanchez-Gomez, 21, of Moxee, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison after his guilty plea to Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking crime. Sanchez-Gomez, a documented member of the Lower Valley Locos...

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Honduran man residing in Portland is facing federal charges after he was arrested moving two kilograms of rainbow-colored fentanyl and several firearms between two Portland-area motels. Jose Isidro Zuniga Torres, 47, has been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl...

PORTLAND, Ore.—An Arizona woman is facing federal charges after she was caught trafficking approximately 45,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and several additional pounds of bulk heroin on Interstate 5 near Salem, Oregon. Nancy Garcia, 47, of Yuma County, Arizona, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Alfred A. Cooke, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Merrillville, Indiana, and U.S. Attorney Clifford D. Johnson for the Northern District of Indiana announced that Shaquille Delaney, 32, of South Bend, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty...

INDIANAPOLIS - Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Indianapolis, and U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Frank Nelson, 45, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court...

SEATTLE – A Renton, Washington resident who continued to deal drugs and possess firearms after many of his coconspirators were arrested and charged federally, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison. Gerson Alberto Flores-Rivera, 28, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to distribution of...

CHICAGO – The Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division announced the seizure of 804,551 fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills and over 549 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2022. The DEA Laboratory estimates that these seizures represent more than 18.3 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl. The staggering amount of fentanyl seized by...