Section
Crime
Courts, law enforcement and federal prosecutions. Cases are checked against court dockets and written opinions, Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney announcements, and federal law-enforcement releases.
Indictment Unsealed Charging Two Men in Fentanyl Conspiracy
Moises Freire and Brian Peralta Cabrera face charges for a fentanyl conspiracy that killed one student and raped another.
Latest in Crime
FTC Sues REPS for Buying 18.5 Million Tickets Illegally
The Federal Trade Commission sued REPS & Company Inc. for buying over 18.5 million tickets illegally. The agency alleges the broker generated at least $120.8 million in profit by bypassing security measures.
HatsanUSA Recalls 16,170 Air Rifles for Firing Hazard
HatsanUSA recalled about 16,170 Blitz and Blitz 777 air rifles due to a risk of serious injury or death from unexpected firing. Consumers must stop using the rifles immediately and obtain a free trigger assembly replacement.
NASS and NASED Issue Statement on Suspicious Letters
An Oklahoma election office evacuated October 13 after receiving an envelope with suspicious white powder. Similar packages reached Louisiana and were intercepted en route to Ohio.
OpenAI Engineer Alfozan Charged With Intercepting Oral Communications
Abdulrahman Alfozan was charged Friday with intercepting oral communications by hiding a recording device in an OpenAI conference room.
Batista Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Drug Conspiracy
Janoy Batista pleaded guilty to racketeering and drug conspiracy charges involving the Trinitarios gang. He faces up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine when sentenced on Jan. 7, 2027. Federal charges have been unsealed against a total of 56 defendants linked to 11 federally charged murders.
Sixteen Alleged YNS Gang Members Face Federal Charges
A federal grand jury indicted six alleged YNS gang members while ten others face criminal complaints over alleged cocaine and robbery plots in Houston.
Three Mexican Nationals Charged With $74M Tax Fraud in Atlanta
Gustavo Rojano Salazar, Gabriel Rojano Salazar, and Andres Huerta Rendon were arrested on October 14, 2026. They are charged with operating a fraud scheme that stole more than $74 million from the U.S. Treasury.
Alfozan Charged With Intercepting Oral Communications
Abdulrahman Alfozan made his initial appearance in federal court charged with using a device to intercept oral communications. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Jeffrey Josue Diaz Convicted of Murder in Highway Shooting
A Frederick County jury convicted Jeffrey Josue Diaz of second-degree murder for a 2025 highway shooting. Diaz remains held without bond pending sentencing after firing into a vehicle carrying six people.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Tiero CEO Potash
A federal grand jury indicted Marc Aaron Potash on October 9, 2026. The indictment charges him with conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and seven counts of healthcare fraud.
DEA Sets Thresholds to Schedule Two Kratom Compounds
The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a notice to temporarily schedule two substances above specific concentration thresholds.
Ten Die in Riot at El Castillo Penitentiary in Sinaloa
A riot at El Castillo Penitentiary in Mazatlan killed ten people and injured sixteen on Thursday. Security forces restored order while authorities suspended visits and contacted victims' families.
Ugandan Mpweire Appears In Court On Drug, Arms Charges
Michael Katungi Mpweire made an initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria after extradition from Uganda. He faces charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possess firearms.
Missouri Patrol Leads Probe Into Teen's Death
The Missouri State Highway Patrol will lead an independent investigation into the death of Persephone Berger. The St. Francois County Sheriff's Office continues a separate inquiry into how the teen ended up on the road.
Three Dominican Nationals Charged in Smuggling Case
A federal grand jury indicted three Dominican nationals on October 7, 2026, for a smuggling venture that capsized near Mona Island. The incident caused three deaths and left 12 people missing while authorities rescued 49 others.
Family Files Claim Over ICE Shooting in Illinois
The family of Silverio Villegas Gonzalez filed a federal claim alleging an ICE agent unlawfully killed him in Illinois. Attorneys plan to sue if the government does not settle within six months.
Exxon Scientist Called Biofuel Target Impossible
New documents show an Exxon scientist told management algae biofuel targets were impossible before public announcements.
Curtis Flowers, Exonerated Man, Dies at 56 in Mississippi
Curtis Flowers died Wednesday at his home in Mississippi at age 56. He was exonerated in 2020 after serving 23 years for a crime he did not commit.
Heal 360 Clinics Pay $20 Million to Settle False Claims
Heal 360 Urgent Care PLLC, Heal 360 Primary Care PLLC, and owner Dr. Mohammed Amer Mohiuddin agreed to pay $20 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations involving unperformed services and falsified records.
Prosecutors to Charge Maduro, Flores With Torturing Americans
Federal prosecutors plan to charge Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores with torturing detained US citizens in Venezuela. The announcement could occur Thursday as Flores attends a bond hearing in New York.
10th Circuit Vacates Kidnapping Convictions in Boy's Death Case
The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated kidnapping convictions in a case involving the 2026 death of a 3-year-old boy in New Mexico, ruling no federal crime occurred and barring retrial on those charges, while allowing potential new trials on terrorism-related counts.
McDonald's Sued in Chicago Over AI Price-Fixing Claims
A federal lawsuit filed in Chicago accuses McDonald's of using artificial intelligence to coordinate prices among franchises.
Three Teens Sue Terrell Owens for Defamation in Mississippi
Fathers of three minors filed a defamation suit against Terrell Owens in Mississippi on October 5. The complaint cites death threats the teens faced after an Owens social media post.