(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — On a day set aside to raise awareness nationally about fentanyl-related overdose deaths, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released data from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s laboratory highlighting the ongoing prevalence of the synthetic opioid in Ohio.
“Illegal use of fentanyl continues to wreck Ohioans’ lives, causing addiction and death,” Yost said. “Unless the pills you’re taking were prescribed by your doctor, you can’t be sure what it is – don’t risk it.”
Three years ago, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) established May 7 as National Fentanyl Awareness Day, an effort to educate Americans about the public health crisis that illegal fentanyl poses and engage them in the fight to prevent more tragic deaths.
Last year alone, the DEA says, more than 70,000 Americans fatally overdosed on illegally made fentanyl. In Ohio in 2023, the total number of fentanyl-related opioid deaths was 3,579, according to Yost’s Scientific Committee on Opioid Overdose and Prevention Education (SCOPE), which monitors such deaths statewide using Ohio Department of Health data.
Those 3,579 deaths represent 98% of the 3,651 overall opioid fatalities in Ohio last year — reinforcing the breadth of the state’s challenge with illegal fentanyl.
“These numbers are frightening if you look at them as numbers,” Yost added. “They are heartbreaking when you realize they were someone’s loved ones.”
Fentanyl update
As the largest criminal drug lab in the state, BCI’s laboratory tests a majority, but not all, of the drug evidence seized by law enforcement agencies in Ohio.
The BCI lab continues to process a high number of cases involving fentanyl, which in the first quarter of 2024 was the second-most-often identified substance in drug-evidence samples (after only methamphetamine). Since 2018, fentanyl has posed an increasingly larger public threat than heroin, whose prevalence has steadily declined in recent years.
Fentanyl is manufactured for doctors to control patients’ pain within a controlled environment. When fentanyl is illicitly manufactured in clandestine laboratories and mixed with other substances by drug traffickers — and/or used recreationally — it can be lethal.
Illicitly manufactured fentanyl often contains forms of fentanyl whose structure is chemically modified, making their potency and toxicity unknown. To date, BCI has identified at least 33 distinct versions of chemically modified fentanyl.
Fentanyl can be found in many forms, including pills and powder, and is often combined by traffickers with heroin, cocaine and/or other drugs. When consumed, complex mixtures of drugs can create dangerous interactions in the body, amplifying the danger. One sample recently analyzed by BCI contained 11 controlled substances.
Carfentanil update
Carfentanil, a fentanyl analogue that is roughly 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine, continues its ongoing presence in Ohio.
The drug was first detected in Ohio drug samples in 2016 and caused a spike in overdoses in 2017. Five years later, the public threat posed by carfentanil seemed to be abating, with BCI’s lab identifying the drug in only five samples in all of 2022.
In September of last year, however, AG Yost issued a warning about an uptick in carfentanil prevalence. Since Oct. 23, the BCI lab has identified a combined 36 items containing carfentanil in 14 counties, with the majority of those seized in northeastern Ohio.
Carfentanil is often found with other drugs and has been identified in market tablets and powders, including those similar in appearance to materials used to manufacture oxycodone tablets.
Safety
If you believe you have been exposed to fentanyl or carfentanil, you should seek immediate medical attention and notify law enforcement.
Law enforcement officers and first responders should wear proper personal protective equipment and use caution in handling evidence suspected of containing carfentanil or any fentanyl-related substance, particularly in cases where an overdose has occurred.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost testified before the House Criminal Justice Committee this afternoon in support of legislation Office Also Launches ‘HT 101’ Guide to Aid Communitiesthat would expand the eligibility of human trafficking survivors to have their criminal records expunged.
“Once the nightmare of human trafficking is over, many individuals begin another battle – putting their lives back together and starting over,” Yost said. “The journey to recovery is made even tougher when survivors are barred from employment, housing or education because of their past involvement with trafficking.”
House Bill 385, sponsored by Reps. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania), would remove the predicate requirement for those applying for expungement of fourth- and fifth-degree felonies and all misdemeanors.
Currently, a trafficking survivor must have one of three predicate charges to be eligible to apply for expungement: solicitation, loitering to engage in solicitation, or prostitution.
“These predicate charges exclude both sex trafficking victims who were never convicted of those specific crimes, as well as labor trafficking victims, who would not have solicitation charges,” Yost testified. “The statute also ignores the modernization of traffickers, who increasingly use the internet and cellphones to commit their crimes.”
Survivors would still have to provide clear and convincing evidence that the crimes they committed resulted from being trafficked.
Also testifying during today’s hearing were multiple trafficking survivors, including Natasha Cooper, who serves on the Ambassador Advisory Commission of Yost’s Human Trafficking Initiative.
“Even though I have more than four years clean and have accomplished a great deal, I am still affected by my past,” Cooper told the House committee. “If I had my record expunged, this would help me move forward in life in so many ways — it would help me with more diverse employment opportunities, (provide) greater access to safe and stable housing and give me a sense of pride. I am a productive member of my community and want to be viewed for who I am not what my past charges have been.”
Yost also supported House Bill 385’s companion legislation in the Ohio Senate, Senate Bill 214, which has already passed out of the chamber.
On message with today’s testimony, AG Yost also announced a new “best practices” guide for addressing human trafficking in Ohio communities.
The publication, “Human Trafficking 101: Best Practices Guide to Raising Awareness in Your Community,” was developed by the Public Awareness Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission. It is intended as a “how to” resource for anti-trafficking coalitions and community leaders statewide.
“Human trafficking is happening in Ohio, and traffickers thrive when communities are in the dark about how to handle it,” Yost said. “This guide sheds light on the basics and gives everyone the same checklist for responding.”
The guide, available through the AG’s website, focuses on four main topics:
High-Level Essentials
Myth vs. Fact
Credible Resources
Checklists for Trainings
It provides a comprehensive overview of human trafficking as well as appropriate imagery and language for groups to use. It also emphasizes the importance of involving survivors in community discussions because of the unique knowledge and perspective that lived experience provides.
Yost created the Human Trafficking Initiative in 2019 to build awareness, empower Ohioans to take action in their communities, strengthen victim services throughout the state and ensure that traffickers and “johns” are brought to justice.
Mount Vernon – The Mount Gilead Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal traffic crash that occurred on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024 at approximately 4:41 PM, on Columbus Road in the City of Mount Vernon.
Jeffrey Davis, age 40, of Howard, Ohio, was operating a 2022 Kenworth T880 on Columbus Road traveling northeast. Robert Staats, age 73, of Mount Vernon, Ohio, was operating a 2006 Suzuki Burgman 650 scooter northeast on Columbus Road. Mr. Davis failed to keep an assured cleared distance ahead and struck Mr. Staats in the rear.
Mr. Staats was pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel. Mr. Davis was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash and was not injured. Mr. Staats was not wearing helmet at the time of the crash. Alcohol and drugs are not a suspected factor in the crash.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by Mount Vernon Police Department, Mount Vernon EMS, Mount Vernon Street Department, Knox County Coroner’s Office and Mount Vernon Law Director’s Office.
The traffic crash remains under investigation by the Mount Gilead Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — In an emergency motion filed today with the Ohio Supreme Court, Attorney General Dave Yost argues that a Franklin County judge overstepped his judicial authority by placing on hold the entirety of House Bill 68.
Yost’s filing contends that Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook acted beyond the scope of his power on April 16 in granting a sweeping injunction that placed the entire law on hold for 14 days or until a hearing is held, whichever happens sooner.
“One judge from one county does not have more power than the governor’s veto pen,” Yost said about the injunction in the case.
The law contains several protections for Ohio families: It protects minors from experimental medical treatment, it protects parents from losing custody of their children, and it protects female student-athletes from facing males in competitions and locker rooms. Holbrook’s injunction put the whole law on hold for all Ohioans statewide, even though the plaintiffs in the case include just two families who are affected by only certain medical provisions of the law.
Holbrook’s injunction is unlawful, Yost writes, because it applies to the entire state, rather than just the two plaintiffs who challenged the law in a lawsuit filed on March 26. Judicial rules for common pleas courts state that preliminary injunctions can be broad only enough to protect the plaintiffs in a case.
Yost’s motion notes how Holbrook’s overly broad injunction not only is illegal but also harms Ohioans by preventing the protective law from taking effect. The motion asks the Ohio Supreme Court to narrow the injunction and order Holbrook to act within the limits of his judicial authority.
Court filings for the case are available on the Attorney General’s website.
CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announce the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging 15 members of the Fully Blooded Felons, a criminal street gang that was active in Northeast Ohio and in the Ohio prison system. The gang members were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving their importing and distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and buprenorphine in Northeast Ohio, and their illegal possession of firearms. Three defendants have been in federal custody since December 2023. Authorities have arrested several newly charged defendants. They transported several of them to federal court in Cleveland, while the others are in custody elsewhere.
This announcement is made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen, and Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd.
“The indictment alleges that Raven Mullins and other members of the Fully Blooded Felons operated an open-air drug market, distributing the deadliest types of drugs sold on Cleveland’s streets. This organization is charged not only with peddling such poisons in Cleveland’s Cedar Estates neighborhood, but also with actively plotting to recruit persons to infiltrate the Ohio prison system to distribute drugs there so gang members could reap the profits,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “This indictment and these arrests are a product of the dedication, cooperation, and tireless efforts of Northern District of Ohio federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who, working together, identified and disrupted this criminal organization. Because of these efforts, the many law-abiding members of the Cedar Estates neighborhood have a real opportunity to come together and make positive changes.”
“This operation and subsequent arrests underscore the FBIs mission to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs not only in the larger cities across America, but also right here in northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Identifying criminal networks takes careful coordination and collaboration. We are proud to partner with the agencies that make up the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. In addition, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Cleveland’s Third District played a major role in this operation. We thank them as well as our other federal, state, and local partners who work seamlessly together to protect our communities and keep offenders off the streets.”
The following defendants are charged in the 33-count superseding indictment:
Deon Blackwell, aka White Boy, 37, Cleveland, Ohio
The defendants were all charged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, six defendants were charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances offenses, five defendants were charged with illegal possession of firearms, and five defendants were charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. One defendant was charged with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and 11 defendants were charged with using a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
The superseding indictment alleges that between as early as January 2022, and continuing through April 2, 2024, the defendants did knowingly and intentionally conspire with each other to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine base (“crack”), a Schedule II controlled substance, and buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance.
According to court documents, Raven Mullins and other defendants operated an organized gang hierarchy that committed violent acts, possessed and transferred firearms, and distributed controlled substances in Northeast Ohio. The Fully Blooded Felons used two apartments at the Cedar Estates in Cleveland, Ohio, to store controlled substances and firearms and to distribute different controlled substances to customers. Subordinate gang members used a grassy area immediately adjacent to the Cedar Estates, and the area surrounding the 28th Street Liquor Store, to distribute controlled substances to customers at the direction of Raven Mullins and other high-ranking members. The superseding indictment alleges that Elijah Johnson travelled to Texas and Arizona to obtain kilogram quantities of pills containing fentanyl, which he then supplied to Fully Blooded Felon members for distribution in Northeast Ohio. Additionally, the superseding indictment alleges that the Fully Blooded Felons operated a drug smuggling and distribution ring inside numerous Ohio state prisons and federal detention centers.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force consists of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Cleveland Division of Police. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The investigation preceding the superseding indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Streets Task Force, the Cleveland Division of Police’s Third District and Gang Impact Unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. The United States Marshals Service coordinated the arrests of those defendants apprehended.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Paul E. Hanna, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announce the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging 15 members of the Fully Blooded Felons, a criminal street gang that was active in Northeast Ohio and in the Ohio prison system. The gang members were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving their importing and distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and buprenorphine in Northeast Ohio, and their illegal possession of firearms. Three defendants have been in federal custody since December 2023. Authorities have arrested several newly charged defendants. They transported several of them to federal court in Cleveland, while the others are in custody elsewhere.
This announcement is made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen, and Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd.
“The indictment alleges that Raven Mullins and other members of the Fully Blooded Felons operated an open-air drug market, distributing the deadliest types of drugs sold on Cleveland’s streets. This organization is charged not only with peddling such poisons in Cleveland’s Cedar Estates neighborhood, but also with actively plotting to recruit persons to infiltrate the Ohio prison system to distribute drugs there so gang members could reap the profits,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “This indictment and these arrests are a product of the dedication, cooperation, and tireless efforts of Northern District of Ohio federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who, working together, identified and disrupted this criminal organization. Because of these efforts, the many law-abiding members of the Cedar Estates neighborhood have a real opportunity to come together and make positive changes.”
“This operation and subsequent arrests underscore the FBIs mission to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs not only in the larger cities across America, but also right here in northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Identifying criminal networks takes careful coordination and collaboration. We are proud to partner with the agencies that make up the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. In addition, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Cleveland’s Third District played a major role in this operation. We thank them as well as our other federal, state, and local partners who work seamlessly together to protect our communities and keep offenders off the streets.”
The following defendants are charged in the 33-count superseding indictment:
Deon Blackwell, aka White Boy, 37, Cleveland, Ohio
The defendants were all charged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, six defendants were charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances offenses, five defendants were charged with illegal possession of firearms, and five defendants were charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. One defendant was charged with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and 11 defendants were charged with using a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
The superseding indictment alleges that between as early as January 2022, and continuing through April 2, 2024, the defendants did knowingly and intentionally conspire with each other to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine base (“crack”), a Schedule II controlled substance, and buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance.
According to court documents, Raven Mullins and other defendants operated an organized gang hierarchy that committed violent acts, possessed and transferred firearms, and distributed controlled substances in Northeast Ohio. The Fully Blooded Felons used two apartments at the Cedar Estates in Cleveland, Ohio, to store controlled substances and firearms and to distribute different controlled substances to customers. Subordinate gang members used a grassy area immediately adjacent to the Cedar Estates, and the area surrounding the 28th Street Liquor Store, to distribute controlled substances to customers at the direction of Raven Mullins and other high-ranking members. The superseding indictment alleges that Elijah Johnson travelled to Texas and Arizona to obtain kilogram quantities of pills containing fentanyl, which he then supplied to Fully Blooded Felon members for distribution in Northeast Ohio. Additionally, the superseding indictment alleges that the Fully Blooded Felons operated a drug smuggling and distribution ring inside numerous Ohio state prisons and federal detention centers.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force consists of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Cleveland Division of Police. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The investigation preceding the superseding indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Streets Task Force, the Cleveland Division of Police’s Third District and Gang Impact Unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. The United States Marshals Service coordinated the arrests of those defendants apprehended.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Paul E. Hanna, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 18 other state attorneys general are opposing a new federal program that promotes aggressive enforcement of “red flag” gun-confiscation laws.
Yost and his counterparts argue in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland that the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center, launched in March by the Department of Justice, undermines the Second Amendment and other fundamental rights in a flawed attempt to reduce gun violence.
“The solution to gun violence is not more bureaucracy, and it is certainly not parting otherwise law-abiding men and women from their right to self-defense,” Yost said.
The state attorneys general raise several concerns with the ERPO Resource Center, most notably how the program advocates for laws that allow government officials to “suspend fundamental rights under the Second Amendment with no genuine due process.”
So-called “red flag” laws permit authorities to seek court orders authorizing the confiscation of firearms from people thought to pose a danger. Twenty-one states have enacted such laws; Ohio is not among them.
Another issue is whether the DOJ had authority to create the program in the first place. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, cited by the department as the impetus for the ERPO Resource Center, makes no mention of such a program. In fact, the letter says, that funding from the 2022 federal law was supposed to go to states and local governments.
The attorneys general also question the DOJ’s decision to partner on the project with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. The institution’s track record of advocating for strict gun-control measures raises concerns about its ability to remain objective, making it a poor fit for the program, the letter says.
Yost and his counterparts urge the DOJ to end the program, writing that “states don’t need ‘help’ of this sort from the federal government. We know exactly how to protect our citizens while appropriately respecting Second Amendment rights.”
Joining Yost in sending the letter are the attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost urges taxpayers to make the most of their tax refunds while staying vigilant against scams. With the average tax refund this year standing at $3,182, individuals have various options for utilizing these funds, from bolstering savings to tackling debts or making significant purchases or repairs.
For those considering major purchases or repairs, particularly in the realm of automotive transactions, caution is advised. Yost emphasizes the importance of thoroughly researching and inspecting vehicles, especially when buying “as is.” Consumers are urged to check vehicle histories through resources like the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System and to enlist the expertise of independent mechanics.
Additionally, Ohio law doesn’t typically grant the right to cancel car purchases, and consumers should be aware of the Title Defect Recision Law, which allows for refunds under certain circumstances related to title issues or inaccurate disclosures.
Furthermore, consumers should obtain written estimates for repairs exceeding certain thresholds and carefully evaluate warranties and service contracts before making purchases. Payment options should be chosen wisely, with attention to the potential pitfalls of refund anticipation loans and rent-to-own plans.
Yost alerts consumers to a concerning trend involving deepfake celebrity endorsement videos circulating on social media. These videos, featuring famous personalities like Jennifer Aniston, Taylor Swift, and Selena Gomez, promote fraudulent giveaways or endorsements, potentially leading unsuspecting individuals to disclose personal or financial information.
To discern between authentic endorsements and deepfake scams, consumers are advised to scrutinize video content for unusual movements or backgrounds, verify sources, and seek additional context. Resources like VERIFY and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab provide guidance on identifying deepfake videos, while caution is urged when encountering suspicious links or offers.
Man indicted in Coshocton County for gift-card counterfeiting scheme
In a recent development, Ming Xue faces a slew of felony charges related to a gift-card counterfeiting scheme in Coshocton County. Xue’s alleged involvement in altering and redistributing gift cards underscores the importance of vigilance when purchasing or using such cards.
Consumers are reminded to inspect gift cards for signs of tampering, avoid sharing PINs or personal information, and track deliveries to prevent theft or misuse. Alternative delivery methods, such as electronic gift cards, may offer added security in transactions.
As warmer weather heralds the season of home-improvement projects, Yost cautions homeowners against falling victim to scams perpetrated by unscrupulous contractors. Vigilance in vetting contractors, obtaining multiple estimates, and verifying credentials is crucial to avoiding substandard work or financial loss.
Key precautions include refraining from large down payments, paying incrementally, avoiding cash transactions, and securing written agreements. Consumers are also reminded of their rights under Ohio’s Home Solicitation Sales Act and advised to be wary of red flags indicative of fraudulent contractors.
In conclusion, Yost underscores the importance of remaining vigilant against scams and unfair business practices, urging consumers to report suspicious activities to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
For those encountering potential scams or unfair business practices, assistance is available through www.OhioProtects.org or by calling 800-282-0515.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 18 other state attorneys general are opposing a new federal program that promotes aggressive enforcement of “red flag” gun-confiscation laws.
Yost and his counterparts argue in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland that the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center, launched in March by the Department of Justice, undermines the Second Amendment and other fundamental rights in a flawed attempt to reduce gun violence.
“The solution to gun violence is not more bureaucracy, and it is certainly not parting otherwise law-abiding men and women from their right to self-defense,” Yost said.
The state attorneys general raise several concerns with the ERPO Resource Center, most notably how the program advocates for laws that allow government officials to “suspend fundamental rights under the Second Amendment with no genuine due process.”
So-called “red flag” laws permit authorities to seek court orders authorizing the confiscation of firearms from people thought to pose a danger. Twenty-one states have enacted such laws; Ohio is not among them.
Another issue is whether the DOJ had authority to create the program in the first place. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, cited by the department as the impetus for the ERPO Resource Center, makes no mention of such a program. In fact, the letter says, that funding from the 2022 federal law was supposed to go to states and local governments.
The attorneys general also question the DOJ’s decision to partner on the project with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. The institution’s track record of advocating for strict gun-control measures raises concerns about its ability to remain objective, making it a poor fit for the program, the letter says.
Yost and his counterparts urge the DOJ to end the program, writing that “states don’t need ‘help’ of this sort from the federal government. We know exactly how to protect our citizens while appropriately respecting Second Amendment rights.”
Joining Yost in sending the letter are the attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Mount Gilead — The Mount Gilead Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal traffic crash that occurred on Sunday, March 31, 2024 at approximately 2:38 AM, on Interstate 71 near mile post 152 in Franklin Township, Morrow County.
Larry A. Dotson, age 32, of Canton, Ohio, was operating a 2020 Hyundai Tucson northbound on Interstate 71 in the southbound lanes. Salvador Alfaro Castaneda, age 26, of Columbus, Ohio, was operating a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee southbound on Interstate 71. Mr. Dotson’s vehicle was going the wrong-way and struck by Mr. Castaneda’s vehicle head-on.
Both vehicles overturned and caught fire after impact.
Mr. Castaneda’s vehicle was occupied by two passengers; Cristal Galloso Olvera, age 31, and Ivonne Olvera, age 50, both of Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Dotson’s vehicle was occupied by one passenger; Marlee S. Middleton, age 32, of Massillon, Ohio.
Larry Dotson, Marlee Middleton, Cristal Galloso and Ivonne Olvera were pronounced deceased on scene by medical personnel. Mr. Castaneda was transported from the scene to Ohio Health in Mansfield with serious injuries.
It is unknown if drugs and alcohol were factors in this crash. Mr. Castaneda was wearing his seat-belt at the time of the crash and it is unknown if his passengers were wearing seat-belts. Mr. Dotson and his passenger were not wearing seat-belts at the time of the traffic crash.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by Morrow County EMS, Morrow County Coroner’s Office, Ohio Department of Transportation and the Mount Gilead Fire Department.
The traffic crash remains under investigation by the Mount Gilead Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Joe Lyons •
May 7, 2024
Mount Vernon – The Mount Gilead Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal traffic crash that occurred on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024 at approximately 4:41 PM, on Columbus Road in the City of Mount Vernon.
CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announce the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging 15 members of the Fully Blooded Felons, a criminal street gang that was active in Northeast Ohio and in the Ohio prison system. The gang members were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving their importing and distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and buprenorphine in Northeast Ohio, and their illegal possession of firearms. Three defendants have been in federal custody since December 2023. Authorities have arrested several newly charged defendants. They transported several of them to federal court in Cleveland, while the others are in custody elsewhere.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 18 other state attorneys general are opposing a new federal program that promotes aggressive enforcement of “red flag” gun-confiscation laws.