Narcotics

10 July 2007 -- Tour de France-winning cyclist Floyd Landis of the United States is continuing his battle against doping charges leveled against him following the 2006 race. Landis has written a book in which he confronts his accusers in the doping scandal that he says has unfairly tainted his career. Landis was upbeat in a recent visit to Voice of America headquarters in Washington.    » read more »

July 6, 2007 -- TRENTON – New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that two New Jersey men have been indicted on first-degree drug charges in connection with an alleged conspiracy to distribute 23 kilograms of cocaine.    » read more »

July 3, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a press conference in Des Moines today, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) congratulated Iowa law enforcement officials for advancing the fight against meth by completing a statewide lockup of anhydrous ammonia tanks. All 99 Iowa counties have now been provided with tank locks. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Harkin secured virtually all of the funding for the tank locking effort through the Community Oriented Policing Services Meth Hot Spots program.    » read more »

July 2, 2007 -- In Thursday's All American Presidential Forum moderated by PBS' Tavis Smiley, Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel repeatedly shared his belief that the "war on drugs" is a failure and should end immediately.

Held at Howard University, the primetime Democratic forum was the first to feature a panel consisting entirely of African-American journalists. The forum focused mainly on issues relating to the African-American community. Topics discussed included immigration, healthcare, as well as inequities in education and income between the races.    » read more »

July 2, 2007 -- AMBRIDGE - A black tar heroin ring was shut down today when 23 out of 27 suspected drug dealers - including ten illegal immigrants - were arrested on charges of trafficking a rare type of heroin in and around Allegheny and Beaver Counties, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett announced the arrests at a press conference at the Ambridge Police Department.    » read more »

June 27, 2007 -- Sen. Biden: “The current sentencing structure for crack and powder cocaine is based on bogus notions and old logic. It’s time to fix this unjustified disparity.”

Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, introduced today the Drug Sentencing Reform & Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2007, legislation to eliminate the current sentencing disparity between the crack and powder forms of cocaine.    » read more »

26 June 2007 -- Tom Sizemore has been sentenced to 16 months in state prison for violating his probation in a previous drug case.

California Superior Court Judge Cynthia Rayvis said the 45-year-old actor "abused the privilege of probation" and "needs to be in a lockdown setting." She recommended Sizemore be sent to the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County for its noteworthy drug treatment program.

Sizemore, whose screen credits include Saving Private Ryan and Blackhawk Down, wore orange jail clothing and didn't speak during the June 25 hearing.    » read more »

26 June 2007 -- Afghanistan's poppy harvest is growing rapidly and this year's yield could exceed last year's record crop. Top counter narcotics officials from the United States and Britain say Afghanistan's growing trade in illegal drugs is firmly linked to the Taleban insurgency.

In the recently released World Drug Report, the United Nations says Afghanistan produced dramatically more opium in 2006, increasing its yield nearly 50 percent from the previous year.

The report says more than 90 percent of the world's heroin now comes from poppies grown in Afghanistan.    » read more »

June 26, 2007 -- WILKES-BARRE - A Luzerne County podiatrist was arrested today for fraudulently obtaining prescription narcotics for his own personal use.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Dr. Lawrence Kansky, D.P., 50, of 114 Timberwood Dr., Mt. Top. Dr. Kansky had two practices: the Northeast Foot and Ankle Center, 943 Church St., Hazelton, and 62 Mountain Blvd., Mt. Top.Dr. Lawrence Kransky    » read more »

Major New Risk Factor Found for a Fast Spreading Drug Epidemic

LA JOLLA, CA, June 25, 2007—Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that chronic abuse of the highly addictive drug methamphetamine may be an unrecognized risk factor in the development of a number of potentially serious cardiovascular disorders frequently reported by methamphetamine abusers.

The study is being published the week of June 25 in an advanced online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.    » read more »

June 25, 2007 -- Washington – Today four senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee introduced legislation to correct the disparity in Federal sentencing between powder and crack cocaine violations. Under current law, it takes 100 times more powder cocaine than crack cocaine to trigger the same five- and ten-year mandatory minimum sentences – referred to as the “100 to 1 drug ratio.” The Fairness in Drug Sentencing Act, introduced by Senators Orrin G.    » read more »

June 25, 2007 -- WILKES-BARRE - Two former police officers were arrested today on unrelated charges of illegally obtaining Schedule II prescription narcotics for their own personal use.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendants as Robert Greg Santarelli, 37, of 512 Church St. and 815 Blakely St., Jessup; and Angela Novack, 23, of 953 Lincoln Ave., Dickson City. Santarelli is a former Jessup Police Officer and Novack is a former part-time Dickson City Police Officer.Robert Santarelli    » read more »

June 25, 2007 -- HARRISBURG - A Cumberland County, Pennsylvania dermatologist and her husband were arrested today on charges of illegally prescribing and possessing prescription narcotics for their own consumption.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendants as Dr. Jennifer C. Zampogna and her husband, Christopher Zampogna, both 34 years old and residents of 5 Saratoga Place, Camp Hill. Dr. Zampogna is the owner of Advanced Dermatology and Skin Surgery, 950 Woodland St., Mechanicsburg.    » read more »

June 20, 2007 -- SAYRE - A former podiatrist from Sayre was arrested yesterday by agents with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI) for obtaining and ordering excessive amounts of prescription medication for his personal use.

Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Dr. Brian Halton, 48, of 1179 Pennsylvania Ave, Sayre. Dr. Halton is not currently practicing as a podiatrist.    » read more »

06-19-2007 -- Rudy Giuliani Political Director Mark Campbell made the following statement today regarding the indictment of Thomas Ravenel:

"Our campaign has no information about the accusations pending against Mr. Ravenel. Mr. Ravenel has stepped down from his volunteer responsibilities with the campaign.”    » read more »