SOUTH BEND, Ind. – On Sept. 18, 2026, DeCarlos L. Smallwood, 51, of South Bend, was convicted of eight felony counts after a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty. Smallwood was found guilty of drug and firearm offenses, including conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or...

CHICAGO – Todd C. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Field Division, announced drug-related charges filed with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office against two men. Burhan C. Ozerdinc, 33, of Oak Lawn, Illinois, and Ahmad S. Sanducka, 33, of Mount Prospect, Illinois, were...

TUCSON, Ariz. – On Sep. 9, 2026, Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tucson District Office, conducted a multi-state enforcement operation resulting in the arrest of Alastair Mark Sanderson, 39, of Overland Park, Kansas; William Robert Norris, 43, of Westworth Village, Texas; and Michael Christian Packard, 36, of Fort...

CHICAGO — A woman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for using information stolen from physicians to fraudulently write opioid prescriptions. AMANI IBRAHIM fraudulently caused prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone, and other controlled substances to be issued under the names of real medical providers and often in the...

EVANSVILLE, Ind.- Six individuals, all from Evansville, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine trafficking ring operating in Southern Indiana. Defendant Sentence Charge(s) Lovechild McGuire, 33 28 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to...

URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Marcus “Slim” McKinney, 50, was sentenced on Aug. 14, 2026, to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on three drug trafficking charges, including his involvement in a drug conspiracy that resulted in the overdose death of Maggie Avelar on Aug. 19, 2023...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Keith Jennings, 51, of South Bend, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty on Aug. 13, 2026, after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine...

MADISON, Wis. – Noah A. Hodges, 44, Madison, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to five years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by five years of supervised release. Hodges pleaded...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following a lengthy Homeland Security Task Force investigation, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on July 15, 2026, charging seven defendants, including three Mexican and two Guatemalan nationals, as part of an Owensboro-based methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking conspiracy. The defendants were arrested...

PEORIA, Ill. – Darrell J. Lindsey, 44, formerly of Peoria, was sentenced on Aug. 6, 2026, to 135 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, law enforcement began an investigation into Lindsey’s methamphetamine...