As the rate of opioid addiction has surged in the United States, Mexico has become the world’s third-largest producer of opium used to process heroin. Mexican cartels are now the primary suppliers of the drug to the US, producing a crude and unrefined form known as black tar, according to Vice News.
Category: U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Justice Cases
Former FBI Agent Admits to Stealing Drug Money That Was Seized During the Execution of Search Warrants
A former special agent of the FBI plead guilty today in federal court to stealing more than $136,000 of drug proceeds seized during the execution of search warrants in 2014, falsifying reports and tampering with a witness, according to officials.
Scott M. Bowman, 44, of Moreno Valley, California, used the money for personal use including cars, plastic surgery for his wife and a weekend vacation to Las Vegas, according to officials.
Northern California Prison Gang Leader and Associates Sentenced on Racketeering Charges
A federal judge sentenced Joe Anthony Felix, 36, of Modesto, California, to 12 years and seven months in prison for racketeering conspiracy, and Jesus Gomez Felix, 32, of Modesto, to two years and six months imprisonment for assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, according to officials.
Two Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Mail from Hundreds of Mailboxes at Apartment Complex
Alleged thieves who broke into mailboxes at Corona apartment complex and stole the mail were arrested Friday and charged with federal crimes, according to officials.
The defendants used a counterfeit Postal Service key to access 300 mailboxes. One of the three defendants is currently a fugitive, officials said.
Pimp Convicted in Federal Court of Sex Trafficking Seven Girls, Victims Punched in Face and Whipped with a Belt
A jury found a Gardena man guilty of 14 felony counts for trafficking seven girls who worked as prostitutes, several of whom worked under threats of force, fraud or coercion.
Laron Carter, also known as “Birdd” and variations of that moniker, 39, was found guilty Wednesday afternoon by a federal jury in Los Angeles.
Feds: Three Connected to San Bernardino Terrorist Attack Arrested on Conspiracy, Marriage Fraud and False Statement Charges
RIVERSIDE, CALIF. Three people with family connections to Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the perpetrators of the December 2, 2015 terrorist attack at the San Bernardino Inland Regional Center, were arrested this…
Defendant Convicted in Federal Court for Extorting Business Owners with Help from Crooked Cop
NEW YORK Redinel Dervishaj and his co-defendants, including a former New York City police officer, extorted a Queens restaurant owner shortly after he opened his business, demanding regular payments in exchange for…
Federal Grand Jury Indicted Two Men on Hate Crimes for Attacking Three Somalians
Omar Cantero Martinez, 31, and Armando Sotelo, 24, both of Dodge City, Kansas were charged with federal hate crimes for attacking three Somali men, according to officials.
The indictment, which was unsealed Wednesday, charges Martinez and Sotelo with three counts of causing bodily injury to a victim because of actual and perceived race and national origin.
Pharmaceutical Companies Pay $784.6 Million to Settle Lawsuit Alleging Underpaid Drug Rebates to Medicaid
Federal authorities announced today that two pharmaceutical companies agreed to settle a lawsuit and pay $784.6 million in connection with allegations that they falsified reports to the government on two drugs, which allegedly cheated Medicaid from getting drug rebates, according to officials.
L.A. School District Cop Arrested for Attempting to Sex Traffic a Child and Use Internet To Engage in Sex Trafficking
A police officer employed by the Los Angeles Unified School District was taken into federal custody this morning after being named in an indictment that charges him with the attempted sex trafficking of a child, according to officials.
Feds: Pilot Charged with Flying Private Jet With Passengers and Not Having a Valid FAA License
LOS ANGELES An Irvine man was arrested today on federal charges of illegally flying a twin-engine Falcon 10 turbojet airplane with passengers onboard without having a valid pilot’s license from…
Clothing Factory Manager Guilty of Offering $10,000 Bribe to Federal Inspector
A jury Tuesday found the manager of Seven-Bros Enterprises in La Puente, Howard Quoc Trinh, 42, of Arcadia, guilty of offering to pay $10,000 in bribes to a Department of Labor Wage and Hour Investigator to close an investigation, officials said.