A former Rosemead resident who vanished on the eve of her federal methamphetamine trafficking trial is back in Southern California, ending what authorities describe as a multiyear search across international borders.
Demi Pham, 44, was flown from Singapore to Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday evening, where federal marshals took her into custody upon landing. She is expected to make an initial appearance on Friday in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana. Pham disappeared in May 2022 after failing to show up for a hearing the day before her trial was set to begin, and officials say her return now puts the long-delayed case back on track.
Tied to a larger federal probe
Pham's case is one thread in a broader Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation targeting suspected methamphetamine shipments from the San Gabriel Valley to Australia and New Zealand. In a February 2024 press release, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, outlined large-scale seizures and detailed methods investigators say were used to tuck drugs inside everyday consumer products, including candles and toy boxes.
Charges and what was seized
Pham is named in a four-count federal indictment that charges her with one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of attempted exportation of methamphetamine. Prosecutors say law enforcement seized more than 44.1 pounds of methamphetamine from couriers and found more than 22.1 pounds at Pham's then-residence in Rosemead.
According to MyNewsLA, Pham was arrested in Singapore in November 2025 at the request of the United States, then transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service before being flown to Los Angeles.
Penalties and next steps
Federal prosecutors say defendants in the related indictments face a statutory mandatory minimum of 10 years and a statutory maximum of life in prison if convicted on all counts. Pham is expected to appear in federal court in Santa Ana for an initial magistrate appearance, where a judge will address detention, extradition paperwork, and scheduling, as outlined by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
How authorities handled the case
Officials say the investigation drew in multiple federal partners, including the FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations, as couriers allegedly transported concealed shipments overseas. Singaporean authorities detained Pham in November 2025 at the request of the United States and later transferred her to U.S. marshals, who escorted her back to Los Angeles, according to MyNewsLA.
