Richmond, Va., – The United States Drug Enforcement Administration is active in many local communities through Operation Engage, a comprehensive community-level approach to address the drug epidemic through prevention strategies, facilitating conversations, and collaboration with local partners. As part of this mission, Citizens Academies are held to connect field offices...

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A former veterinarian, who admitted to stealing opioids, was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison. Patrick Gries, 54, of Madison Heights, Virginia, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of adulteration of a drug held for sale after shipment in interstate commerce and one...

NORFOLK, Va. – Hidenwood Pharmacy, Inc., located in Newport News, and its owner, Anne Hutchens, of Seaport, have agreed to pay $125,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from alleged record-keeping violations associated with controlled substances. The government alleged that the Hidenwood Pharmacy failed to comply with various recordkeeping requirements...

Baltimore, Maryland – Norman Rosen, age 84, of Towson, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone in connection with his operation of Rosen-Hoffberg Rehabilitation and Pain Management Associates, P.A., where he was Medical Director and part-owner. The guilty plea was announced by Jarod Forget, Special Agent...

ABINGDON, Va. – Sovah Health has agreed to pay the United States $4.36 million to settle claims that the hospital system violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) on numerous occasions between 2017 and 2020. As part of the resolution, Sovah Health further agreed to be subject to a period of...

ABINGDON, Va. – The owner of a supplement company, that manufactured and shipped unapproved drugs and illegal steroids for use by members of the bodybuilding community, pled guilty this week to a pair of federal drug charges. John Franklin Cochcroft, 37, of Lexington, South Carolina, waived his right to be...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Today the U.S. Department of State and the DEA's Washington Division announced a reward of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and conviction of three Honduran nationals indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia on charges stemming from their roles as leading...

DANVILLE, Va. – A former registered nurse working at Sovah Health-Danville was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for tampering with consumer products (fentanyl and hydromorphone) and making false statements. Emilee Kathryn Poteat, 31, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of tampering with consumer products (fentanyl...

NORFOLK, Va. – A Kennewick, Washington, man was sentenced today to 145 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and distribution of cocaine. According to court documents, Juan Gabriel Rodriguez-Preciado, 44, facilitated the trafficking of kilogram quantities of cocaine between a Mexican cartel...

Washington, D.C., -- Today, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the DEA Washington Division, and Michael Rothermund, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division joined D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Robert J. Contee III to announce a new D.C.-based strategy...