Two plead guilty to federal drug conspiracy
Two men pled guilty Wednesday for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy, according to United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Category Archives: Drugs
DOJ panel welcomes probe on dismissal of drugs raps vs Espinosa, Lim
State prosecutors who resolved to dismiss the drug case against alleged big-time drug lords Peter Lim and Kerwin Espinosa, convicted drug lord Peter Co, and several others welcomed the Department of Justice's move to have them investigated. This even as former Assistant State Prosecutor and now Lucena City Regional Trial Court Judge Aristotle Reyes and Assistant State Prosecutor Michael John Humarang insisted that the dismissal of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group complaint was due to the weakness of evidence submitted for preliminary investigation.
Native American overdose deaths surge since opioid epidemic
Overdose deaths in Native American communities have skyrocketed in the time the opioid epidemic has swept the U.S. and federal officials are looking for solutions. Native Americans and Alaska Natives saw a fivefold increase in overdose deaths between 1999 and 2015, Dr. Michael Toedt told the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Wednesday.
U.S. judge: Fake ATF stings should become a relic of the past
Chief U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo speaks from the bench Nov. 25, 2013, in Chicago. Castillo urged federal law enforcement across the country to stop conducting stings in which undercover agents talk suspects into agreeing to steal nonexistent drugs from nonexistent stash houses, saying they overwhelmingly target blacks, are deeply flawed and should become a relic of the past.
Senators dismayed by dismissal of charges against drug lords
Senators on Tuesday expressed their disappointment over the Department of Justice's move to dismiss the criminal charges that have been filed against several high-profile drug suspects saying this giving the public mixed signals on the Duterte government's sincerity in the war against illegal drugs. Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito said he is puzzled by the actions of the DOJ when it decided to clear Kerwin Espinosa, son of Albuerra, Leyte mayor Ronald Espinosa, who was killed at the height of the Duterte government's crackdown on narco-politicians.
US judge: Fake ATF stings should become a relic of the past
A judge on Monday urged federal law enforcement across the country to stop conducting stings in which undercover agents talk suspects into agreeing to steal non-existent drugs from non-existent stash houses, saying they overwhelmingly target blacks, are deeply flawed and should become a relic of the past. Reading from his 73-page written ruling during a Chicago hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo questioned the overall fairness of the phony stash-house stings, which involve U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents posing as disgruntled Mexican cartel couriers who dangle the prospect of lucrative payouts to the would-be thieves.
Los Angeles Times: Dona t let Jeff Sessions strangle criminal-justice reform in its crib
Despite the partisanship that has paralyzed Washington on so many issues, some Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate have come together around the proposition that America imprisons too many people for too long and that the burden of incarceration disproportionately falls on racial minorities. Ominously, however, the enlightened legislation they have produced is opposed by the Trump Justice Department.
Movie Review: Gringo
If there were a special place for middling cultural products-the so-so pop song, the not-entirely-bad book-that would be the proper destination for a movie like Gringo . There's nothing really dislikable about the picture, but that's partly because there's not really much to it.
Democrats, GOP fired up after primary vote
The Democrats had an 80 percent turnout in early voting. The Republican Party had far more contested races than the Democrats.
Bangor doctor offers to prescribe Narcan to any Mainer who asks
Frustrated and out of patience with bureaucratic stalling in the midst of the opioid crisis, Dr. Noah Nesin, medical director at Bangor-based Penobscot Community Health Care, recently announced that he will personally write a prescription for the life-saving drug naloxone for any adult in Maine who asks for one. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, reverses the effects of opioid drugs and can save the life of someone who has overdosed on heroin, fentanyl, prescription painkillers or other opioids.
No police search at home of man who shot self by White House
Four days after he fatally shot himself outside the White House, a Florida man's apartment has not been searched by police. Four days after he fatally shot himself outside the White House, a Florida man's apartment has not been searched by police.
Opioid overdoses in ERs up 30 percent as crisis worsens
The government said non-fatal overdoses visits to hospit... . From left, kindergarten teacher Terra Triggs, first grade teacher Andrea Mason, kindergarten teacher Lisa Taylor, reading specialist Shelly Sexton, Brynn Triggs, Nikki Sexton relax and talk as they wait fo... West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice says a tentative agreement has been reached to end a nine-day statewide teachers' strike by giving them the 5 percent raises he negotiated to end their walkout.
Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill says drug giant is “stonewalling” her opioid investigation
The world's largest generic drug maker, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, has refused to fully cooperate with a Senate investigation into whether major opioid manufacturers contributed to the deadly drug epidemic, according to Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who is leading the Senate probe. Teva has answered some of McCaskill's questions, providing the Senate committee with general information about its efforts to track and report suspicious orders for its opioid prescriptions, according to a series of letters between McCaskill and the company.
Legalizing weed is ‘not a matter of if, but when,’ Booker tells NJ Cannabis Insider
Booker, D-N.J., said he has talked to a number of federal lawmakers of both parties, who come from states that have legalized the drug and are opposed to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement in January that the Justice Department once again would prosecute marijuana cases in states that have legalized the drug. Under President Barack Obama, Justice officials said they would let states enforce their own laws while the federal agency focused on drug cartels, on transporting marijuana into states that have not legalized it, and on making sure legal marijuana businesses are not used as a cover for illegal activities, including selling other drugs.
From the Archives
"The openness, freedom, and plenitude that lead radical Islamists to hate America are precisely what draw so many people from around the world to live here. Among them, do not forget, were the hundreds of foreign nationals who were among those killed in the World Trade Center."
Ottawa man facing robbery, drug charges
Joshua N. Salters, 19, was arrested Tuesday in the 200 block of West Main Street on robbery and drug charges. He was taken to the county jail, needing $50,000 cash to make bond.
John Stossel
But they will miss some of the better performances of the year because Academy Awards just go to movie actors. They leave out political actors.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions says feds will take action in Cleveland opioid lawsuits
The U.S. Department of Justice will get involved with a federal case in Cleveland that consolidates hundreds of government lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday. Sessions said the Justice Department will file a "statement of interest" in the case, currently being heard by a federal judge in Cleveland , filed by local governments, including Cincinnati and Cuyahoga County.
Report: Opioid makers gave $10M to advocacy groups amid epidemic
Companies selling some of the most lucrative prescription painkillers funneled millions of dollars to advocacy groups that in turn promoted the medications' use, according to a report released Monday by a U.S. senator.
Russian ‘hacker’ played with exotic animals in Thailand
FBI hangs Kelly out to dry: Director contradicts White House as he says they had FOUR warnings about Rob Porter going back to last March - and his background check was completed by July Infatuated fan who was plotting to murder Cosplay star's boyfriend after becoming obsessed with the couple's online videos is shot dead by police after breaking into their home 'White powder' is sent to President Obama's DC office just 24 hours after Don and Vanessa Trump received a similar package Elon Musk wore a black armor-like costume with silver spikes and chains to Silicon Valley 'sex party' - and Sergey Brin was there bare chested, new book claims Israeli police 'recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be charged with corruption and accepting bribes for US visas from Hollywood producer and media magnate' EXCLUSIVE: Wife - and mother - of 'incest couple' breaks her silence to reveal the ... (more)