Latest news with #OCDETF
Bloomberg
7 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Democratic Senators Want Bondi to Explain Crime Unit's Closure
A group of Democratic senators asked US Attorney General Pam Bondi to explain the Trump administration's plans to dissolve a unit within the Department of Justice that combats transnational organized crime networks and drug cartels. Last month, Bloomberg News first reported that the DOJ abruptly decided to close down the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, known as OCDETF, by 'zeroing out' its fiscal year 2026 budget. A reason wasn't specified and it was unclear who made the decision.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
DOJ: Fourteen indicted, 11 arrested in Seattle-area drug trafficking case tied to CID encampments
Fourteen people were indicted and 11 arrested as part of a sweeping federal drug trafficking investigation targeting narcotics distribution in Seattle's Chinatown-International District and surrounding homeless encampments, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller at a press conference in Seattle. The indictments, announced in late May and followed by coordinated arrests last week, stem from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the FBI, Seattle Police Department, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Officials say the defendants trafficked large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl from California into Western Washington. 'This trafficking group was a major supplier of deadly drugs to the International District and other communities throughout the Seattle area,' said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division. 'The fentanyl powder and pills our team seized in this case could have yielded enough lethal doses to kill everyone in Seattle twice.' The 14 individuals are charged in two separate indictments. Seven are accused of conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, while the other seven face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. Octavio Salazar Palma, 33, of Federal Way, WA Luis Soto Lara, 47, of Vancouver, WA Juan Ramirez Recinos, 41, of Burien, WA (fugitive) German Juarez-Otanez, 34, of Bothell, WA (fugitive) Alexander Emilio Cozza, 42, of Seattle Marco Antonio Bobadilla, 33, of Pacific, WA Isai Gamboa Pacheco, 55, of Everett, WA Daniel Ibarra Loera, 31, of Kent, WA Jose Garcia Corona, 61, of Seattle Leonardo Rojas Cruz, 53, of Federal Way, WA Oscar Omar Serrano Serrano, 31, of Algona, WA Juan Lopez Roblero, 43, of Tukwila, WA Giovanni Antonio Garduno Garcia, 46, of Issaquah, WA Sang Su, 44, of Seattle (U.S. citizen, fugitive) Investigators executed 16 search warrants on May 29 across Washington, Oregon, and California, including locations in Federal Way, Everett, Issaquah, Kent, and Seattle. Authorities seized more than seven kilograms of cocaine, 18 kilograms of methamphetamine, 57,000 fentanyl pills, 17 firearms, and $353,000 in cash. Seattle Police Chief Shon F. Barnes said the group 'preyed on the homeless and drug addicted' and 'terrorized people living and working in the Chinatown-International District and South Seattle.' He praised the coordinated work of detectives and federal agencies. The case builds on previous charges filed in January 2025, when five Washington-based individuals connected to the same trafficking operation were indicted. Since then, law enforcement expanded its efforts beyond Washington, tracking the drug supply chain to sources in Oregon and Southern California. In March 2025 alone, the investigation led to the seizure of 100 pounds of meth, 111 kilos of cocaine, 19 kilos of fentanyl powder, 250,000 fentanyl pills, and four kilos of heroin—an estimated street value of nearly $3 million. The suspects face a range of federal charges that, in some cases, carry mandatory minimum prison sentences of 10 years. Officials are still working to determine the citizenship status of several defendants. 'This investigation draws from the resilience of our communities,' said Acting Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke of IRS-Criminal Investigation in Seattle. 'Illegal drug trafficking devastates lives and affects us all.' The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Washington National Guard Counterdrug Program, Oregon State Police, and the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne are prosecuting the case. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Two Altoona residents plead guilty in drug trafficking case
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — A pair of Altoona residents have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges after investigators tied them to a methamphetamine distribution ring operating across four Pennsylvania counties. Lesley Wilt, 38, and Jason Lynn, 39, entered their guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Stephanie L. Haines following a six-month wiretap investigation into a network distributing meth, heroin and fentanyl in Blair, Cambria, Centre and Clearfield counties. Prosecutors said Lynn was the leader of the organization, coordinating shipments of methamphetamine and heroin from a New York supplier and redistributing them throughout Western Pennsylvania. During the investigation, federal agents seized nearly two kilograms of pure methamphetamine and multiple firearms from Lynn's home and two storage units. In total, Lynn was linked to over 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and 65 grams of heroin. He pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges and firearm possession as a convicted felon, with prior offenses including strangulation, unlawful restraint and drug possession. Wilt pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both defendants remain in custody pending sentencing, scheduled for Sept. 22. Wilt faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, while Lynn faces a minimum of 10 years and up to $10 million in fines. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from multiple federal, state and local agencies. It was prosecuted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration continues to hack away at efforts to combat sex trafficking
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Donald Trump's administration is continuing to take a sledgehammer to federal efforts to fight sex trafficking, an eyebrow-raising development in his second term. Last week, I wrote about the administration's apparent defunding of the National CASA/GAL Association for Children — the acronyms stand for Court Appointed Special Advocates and Guardians Ad Litem — an organization that assigns volunteer advocates to children believed to have suffered abuse, including sex trafficking victims. CASA/GAL leaders said they plan to fight back after receiving notice that federal grants were being terminated, which could leave young victims without advocates who can steer them into safe environments. Now it appears the administration also is effectively eliminating a Justice Department unit that specializes in investigating international crime, including drug and human trafficking rings. According to Bloomberg: The Trump administration is 'decommissioning' a Department of Justice unit that has long been at the center of dismantling transnational organized crime networks, drug cartels and human trafficking rings. Leaders of the unit, called the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, or OCDETF, were told they had until Sept. 30 to shut down operations, people familiar with the matter said. The people asked not to be identified, citing concerns over potential retribution. An email sent last Monday by a DOJ budget analyst to a counterpart at OCDETF said that the unit's fiscal year 2026 budget would be 'zeroed out' and the independent office dissolved, according to records obtained by Bloomberg News in response to a Freedom of Information Act request and the people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg also obtained an email in which the OCDETF's deputy director sought guidance on 'the process for closing down OCDETF functions in the wake of zeroing our budget' for fiscal 2026. The unit has been credited for the capture of infamous drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, who is now serving life in prison. In a statement, the DOJ told Bloomberg: 'This Department of Justice will continue our law enforcement efforts against transnational criminal organizations in order to make America safe again.' But there's no reason to believe gutting this division will improve the nation's ability to fight crime. And when it comes to the fight against sex trafficking, the Trump administration's CASA/GAL cuts and its gutting of this DOJ unit seem to throw a wrench in some of the shameless and slanderous political attacks from the right in recent years. Some MAGA figures have promoted conspiracy theories linking liberals to sex trafficking while portraying themselves as saviors to victims. But in reality, it's their leader — Trump — whose administration is potentially putting victims at risk. This article was originally published on
Newsweek
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump May Cut Crime Unit That Helped Capture El Chapo: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's 2026 budget proposal could eliminate the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), a federal program that has played a key role in combating transnational drug trafficking and was instrumental in the investigation that led to the arrest of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. An email from a Department of Justice (DOJ) budget analyst to a counterpart at OCDETF said the unit's budget for the 2026 fiscal year will be "zeroed out," and the office will be dissolved, according to records obtained by Bloomberg. Newsweek reached out to the White House and the DOJ for comment. Why It Matters The OCDETF has collected more than $2 billion in proceeds seized and forfeited from criminal networks over the past two fiscal years. The unit currently has thousands of open investigations, and it is unclear if the probes will end or continue under different agencies if the office is dissolved. What to Know The Trump administration unveiled its fiscal year 2026 budget on May 2, proposing a 22.6 percent reduction in discretionary non-defense spending, or $163 billion below current levels. The "skinny" budget proposal would slash most domestic spending while increasing national security spending to a record $1.01 trillion, a 13 percent hike over the prior year, according to Axios. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Evan Vucci The White House's budget plan would also allocate more money toward immigration enforcement. The administration is recommending a $33.2 billion cut to the DOJ's budget. Eliminating OCDETF was not explicitly mentioned in the Trump administration's public budget documents. Critics argue the proposal contradicts the administration's rhetoric about cracking down on drug cartels. OCDETF has coordinated operations between the DEA, FBI, IRS and Homeland Security, focusing on top-tier drug networks and money laundering operations. OCDETF's fusion center in Virginia is home to intelligence and financial data that investigators and prosecutors use to build profiles on individuals and criminal networks. The DOJ budget analyst's email said the center will be closed. The proposed elimination of OCDETF also appears at odds with Trump's "Operation Take Back America," a platform aimed at eliminating drug cartels and criminal organizations. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the operation will use OCDETF resources in a March 6 memo. What People Are Saying Blanche, in a March 6 memo: "Operation Take Back America requires that OCDETF surge existing resources to address the Justice Department's core enforcement priorities: stopping illegal immigration, eliminating Cartels and TCOs, and ending illegal trafficking of dangerous drugs and human beings." Office of Management and Budget proposal: "The Administration is committed to putting an end to deadly drug trafficking, which starts with secure borders and a commitment to law and order." What Happens Next The Trump administration's broader domestic cuts have already prompted pushback from lawmakers, including Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, who said the president "wants to outright defund programs that help working Americans." The fate of hundreds of ongoing OCDETF-supported investigations and the future of its intelligence center remain unresolved as lawmakers weigh whether to support or reject the administration's proposal. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@
