LEGAL NEWSLINE

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has filed charges against 39 members of a significant drug-trafficking ring operating out of Volusia and Putnam counties. The group, led by Allen Messer, Toure Allen Wilder, Bobby Wilder, and Khyree Douglas Isaac, faces charges including conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl, manufacture of fentanyl, conspiracy to traffic in methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, money laundering, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.

On June 20, 2024, several opinions were filed in various appeal cases. The details are as follows:

The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with eTeam Inc. (eTeam), an online staffing agency that provides services to companies throughout the United States and around the world. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that eTeam discriminated against non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States by excluding them from job opportunities based on their citizenship or immigration status, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

America First Legal (AFL) has formally requested that the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Office of the Special Counsel (OSC) initiate investigations into the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) and Drs. Anthony Fauci and David Morens. The former Director and advisor of NIAID, respectively, are alleged to have violated the Federal Records Act and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

In briefs filed today with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, Attorney General William Tong sought rate decreases for both Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) customers following millions of dollars in over-earnings by CNG.

Texas has reached a $10.22 million settlement involving 50 jurisdictions with AT&T Mobility, LLC, Cricket Wireless, LLC, T-Mobile USA, Inc., Cellco Partnership (doing business as Verizon Wireless), and TracFone Wireless, Inc. This agreement resolves investigations by state attorneys general into the wireless carriers' deceptive and misleading advertising practices.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined a coalition of 18 state attorneys general in sending a letter to President Biden opposing the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Certain Palestinians Presidential Memorandum issued on February 14, 2024.

Attorney General Raoul leads coalition defending diversity initiatives

Attorney General Mike Hilgers has joined a coalition of 18 Attorneys General in support of calls for a public hearing on the federal government’s proposal to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Federal Controlled Substances Act. The proposed rescheduling is anticipated to significantly expand the marijuana industry in states where recreational marijuana is legal, such as Colorado.

Rodolfo Maldonado-Bustos, also known as Don Jose, and Euclides Camacho-Goicochea, also known as El Quilles, who occupy leadership roles in the La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel, were charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to import heroin into the United States.

DENVER (Legal Newsline) - Defendants aren't entitled to certain information from plaintiff lawyers just because they shared it with their experts.

ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) - A home inspection company with basically a one-year warranty on its work can't be sued after a retaining wall collapsed and killed a client after that timeframe.

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Michelle Henry, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police, announced charges against a former North Braddock Police Officer for drug trafficking and providing sensitive law enforcement information to assist a trafficker in avoiding police. The 51st Statewide Investigating Grand Jury recently recommended charges against Craig Gibson for alleged cocaine trafficking in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. The grand jurors heard evidence presented by the Office of Attorney General that Gibson, an officer at...

McKenzie County Clerk of Court, Jodee Lawlar, transitioned into a dual office role taking responsibility for Williams County Clerks in October 2023. Ms. Lawlar, along with both supervisors, travels between offices providing supervision and leadership and is supported by clerk supervisors Maty Benth and McKenzie Johnson.

Springfield — Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and her Reproductive Justice Unit convened over 120 experts in the reproductive justice field, including community organizations, healthcare providers, legal advocates, and academics, at Western New England University School of Law in Springfield. The event aimed to facilitate discussions between the AG’s Office and legal and reproductive care experts to inform how the Office can better champion reproductive justice locally, statewide, and nationally amid national efforts to roll back these rights.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that a grand jury in Franklin County has returned charges against Daniel E. Harrison, 40, for allegedly defrauding consumers through his business, Extreme Lawn and Landscape. Harrison faces three counts of Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person and three counts of Deceptive Business Practices.

GREAT FALLS – Attorney General Austin Knudsen today announced appointments to the Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force. The task force aims to break down jurisdictional barriers and identify causes contributing to missing and murdered Indigenous persons.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Attorney General’s Office has charged five individuals in two separate investigations with defrauding the Medicaid program out of more than $10 million.

California Attorney General Bonta, together with law enforcement partners, announced the arrests of four suspects in Tulare County and the seizure of a large cache of illegal firearms, magazines, drugs, ammunition, and cash. This investigation was initiated on a subject determined to be prohibited through the Armed and Prohibited Persons database. Further investigation revealed additional illegal activity, resulting in the arrest of a group of suspects involved with significant illicit drug trafficking and manufacturing activities.

Attorney General Josh Stein has issued a statement regarding House Bill 495, which is now awaiting the Governor's approval.