NEW ORLEANS - The number of accidental drug-related overdose deaths in the City of New Orleans in 2016 exceeded the number of murders for the first time in the city’s history, according to the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office. Drug-related deaths in Orleans Parish totaled 211 in 2016, more than double...

MOBILE, Ala. - Dr. Rassan M. Tarabein, 58, a neurologist residing in Fairhope, Alabama, was arrested by law enforcement officials on federal and state criminal charges relating to health care fraud, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam, Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - On Thursday, June 22, 2017, Robert Francis Kelly, age 56, of Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 64 months in prison for possessing approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bret Hamilton and A. Clark Morris, Acting...

NEW ORLEANS - A federal jury has convicted Lazandy Daniels, 40, of the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans, for his role in distributing kilograms of cocaine in the New Orleans area, announced DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam and Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Following a...

MOBILE, Ala. - Today, John Patrick Couch and Xiulu Ruan were sentenced to respectively 240 months and 252 months in federal prison for running a massive pill mill in Mobile, Alabama, announced DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen G. Azzam and Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of...

NEW ORLEANS, La. - A New Orleans man was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to participating in a heroin distribution conspiracy in the lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Corey Celestine, age...

BATON ROUGE, La. - Thursday marks the fifth and final sentencing in a series of federal prosecutions aimed at a drug trafficking ring which operated in the Gulf Coast states. Kendall Lewis, age 27, of Lecanto, Florida, appeared before a Chief U.S. District Judge and was sentenced to 90 months...

SHREVEPORT, La. - A Shreveport man was sentenced Tuesday to 240 months in prison for distributing more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Shreveport area, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Brad L. Byerley and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. A U.S. District Judge sentenced Brett Luaces, 43...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - On Tuesday May 9, 2017 Dr. Robert M. Ritchea, 54, of LaGrange, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for operating a “pill mill” through his medical practice and for money laundering, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Bret Hamilton and Acting United States Attorney A...

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) and more than 4,200 of its law enforcement and community partners collected more unused prescription drugs than at any of the 12 previous National Prescription Drug Take Back Day events. On Saturday, April 29, the event brought in 900,386 (450 tons) at...