Crimes and Courts

$260 million deal averts 1st federal trial on opioid crisis

Published

7 years ago

October 21, 2019

CLEVELAND (AP) — The nation’s three biggest drug distributors and a major drugmaker agreed to an 11th-hour, $260 million settlement Monday over the deadly toll taken by opioids in two Ohio counties, averting what would have been the first federal trial over the crisis.

Across the U.S., the pharmaceutical industry still faces more than 2,600 other lawsuits over the deadly disaster, and participants in those cases said the latest deal buys them time to try to work out a nationwide settlement of all claims.

Full Coverage: Opioids

Monday’s deal was struck in the middle of the night, just hours before a jury that was selected last week was scheduled to hear opening arguments in a trial in federal court in Cleveland.

The trial involved only two counties — Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County and Akron’s Summit County — but was seen as an important test case that could have gauged the strength of the opposing sides’ arguments and prodded them toward a nationwide settlement.

The new agreement calls for the drug distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson to pay a combined $215 million, said Hunter Shkolnik, a lawyer for Cuyahoga County.

Israeli-based drugmaker Teva would contribute $20 million in cash and $25 million worth of Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction.

“People can’t lose sight of the fact that the counties got a very good deal for themselves, but we also set an important national benchmark for the others,” Shkolnik said.

The deal contains no admission of wrongdoing by the defendants, said Joe Rice, a lead plaintiffs’ lawyer.

But it could turn up the pressure on all sides to work out a nationwide deal, because every partial settlement reached reduces the amount of money the companies have available to pay other plaintiffs.

Across the country, drug manufacturers, suppliers and sellers face a barrage of lawsuits brought by state and local governments, Native American tribes, hospitals and others over the opioid crisis, which is blamed for more than 400,000 deaths in the U.S. over two decades. For nearly two years, a federal judge in Ohio has been pushing the parties toward a settlement of all the lawsuits.

Separately, the small distributor Henry Schein also announced Monday that it is settling with Summit County for $1.25 million. The company was not named in Cuyahoga’s lawsuit.

The only defendant left in the trial that had been scheduled for Monday is the drugstore chain Walgreens. The new plan is for Walgreens and other pharmacies to go to trial within six months.

The settlement enables both sides to avoid the risks and uncertainties involved in a trial: The counties immediately lock in money they can use to deal with the crisis, and the drug companies avoid a possible finding of wrongdoing and a huge jury verdict.

“There’s no amount of money that’s going to change the devastation and destruction that they’ve done to families not only all across our county but all across the country,” said Travis Bornstein, who was preparing to testify in the Cleveland trial. But he said the settlement should help provide services for people who are struggling.

Bornstein said his son, Tyler, became hooked on opioids as a teenager after receiving a prescription after surgery on his arm and died from a heroin overdose five years later, in 2014.

Better funding for treatment programs might have helped his son, who was on a waiting list when he died, Bornstein said.

Ohio in 2017 had the second-highest death rate due from drug overdoses in the U.S., behind only West Virginia.

In a statement, the three major distributors said the settlement money should be used in a focused way on such things as treatment, rehab and mental health services.

The settlement also means that the evidence prepared for the trial won’t be fully aired.

Lawyers for the counties were preparing to show the jury a 1900 first edition of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” featuring the poisonous poppy fields that put Dorothy to sleep, and a 3,000-year-old Sumerian poppy jug to show that the world has long known the dangers of opioids.

U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, who is overseeing the mountain of lawsuits, has long pushed for a coast-to-coast settlement.

The plaintiffs have accused the industry of aggressively marketing opioids while downplaying the risks of addiction and turning a blind eye toward suspiciously large shipments of the drugs. The industry has denied wrongdoing.

Industry CEOs and attorneys general from four states met Friday in Cleveland, where the offer on the table was a deal worth potentially $48 billion in cash and drugs to settle cases nationally.

But they couldn’t close the deal, partly because of disagreements between state and local governments over how to allocate the settlement.

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, often cast as the biggest villain in the crisis, reached a tentative settlement last month that could be worth up to $12 billion. But half the states and hundreds of local governments oppose it. It remains to be seen whether the settlement will receive the approvals it needs.

Crimes and Courts

Florida Gambling Crackdown Earns International Award After 14000 Slot Machine Seizures

Published

4 days ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

The commission reports more than $24 million in gambling proceeds seized since July 2022, with international recognition highlighting its coordinated enforcement efforts.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — The Florida Gaming Control Commission has won the 2026 Regulatory Excellence Award from the International Association of Gaming Regulators, recognizing the agency’s coordinated efforts to combat illegal gambling.

The commission announced the award Oct. 26. The honor recognizes excellence in gaming policy, regulation, compliance and enforcement outcomes.

International Recognition for Coordinated Enforcement

IAGR CEO Kevin Mullally praised the commission’s collaboration with enforcement partners and its support for international efforts against illegal online gambling.

“The Florida Gaming Control Commission’s coordinated approach to combating illegal gambling has produced impressive results,” Mullally said. “Its strategy illustrates the power of collaboration.”

He also recognized the agency’s willingness to support IAGR’s international work targeting illegal online gambling.

Agency Reports 14,000 Illegal Slot Machines Seized

Since beginning operations in July 2022, the commission says it has seized more than 14,000 illegal slot machines and more than $24 million in illegal gambling proceeds.

In the past year, the agency reported shutting down 184 illegal gambling arcades and making 160 arrests.

According to the commission, its investigations have also helped authorities combat illegal narcotics, illegal firearms and dog betting rings connected to criminal gambling operations.

The enforcement figures describe seizures, closures and arrests reported by the agency; arrests do not establish guilt.

Commission Chair Credits Staff and State Support

Commission Chair Julie Brown said the award recognizes the agency’s employees and the support of Florida’s elected leaders.

“We are thrilled to receive such a tremendous honor for our very young agency,” Brown said.

Brown credited Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature and Attorney General James Uthmeier for supporting the commission’s work.

Attorney General Calls for Tougher Penalties

Uthmeier said his office will continue working with the commission to investigate illegal gambling and pursue stronger criminal penalties.

“Illegal gambling operations pose a serious threat to public safety and jeopardize the integrity of gaming in our state,” Uthmeier said.

He said stronger penalties would help hold illegal gambling operators accountable and support law enforcement efforts.

Oversight Extends Beyond Illegal Gambling

The commission’s responsibilities also include regulating authorized gambling activities, including pari-mutuel wagering, cardrooms and slot machine facilities, along with overseeing the state’s gaming compacts. Its authority excludes the Florida Lottery.

Central Florida News

Attorney General James Uthmeter announces 100 felony counts against Kissimmee man, sues AI platform

Published

4 days ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

James Uthmeier speaks at a news conference wearing a navy suit, white shirt and red tie, with flags behind him.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, that a Kissimmee man faces 100 felony counts involving child sexual abuse material and images depicting sexual activity with animals. In a separate action, the state sued an artificial intelligence company accused of enabling users to generate sexualized images of children and other people without their consent.

The criminal case names Jerry Jesus Reyes, 26. The civil lawsuit targets Rengstorff Consulting Ltd., the company operating the A2E artificial intelligence platform.

“There is nothing more evil than the sexual exploitation of children, and anyone who possesses, shares, or creates these images is an active participant in that abuse,” Uthmeier said in a statement.

Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon. Photo by Florida National News

Tip leads to criminal investigation

According to the attorney general’s office, the Reyes investigation began with a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children concerning activity on a Snapchat account.

Detectives with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit used subpoenas and search warrants to link the account to Reyes, authorities said. Investigators reported finding files depicting the sexual abuse of children and sexual activity involving an animal.

The charges include:

86 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child.
13 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual activity with animals.
One count of transmitting child pornography by electronic device.

Potential prison penalties

According to the announcement, the child sexual abuse material possession charges were reclassified as first-degree felonies because the case involved 10 or more images. First-degree felonies generally carry a maximum sentence of 30 years per count under Florida law.

The second-degree felony transmission charge carries a five-year mandatory minimum, according to the announcement, and a statutory maximum of 15 years. Third-degree felonies generally carry up to five years per count.

Reyes could face decades in state prison if convicted. His total sentence would depend on the convictions, applicable sentencing provisions and whether the judge orders sentences served concurrently or consecutively.

The attorney general’s office said Reyes was being held at the Osceola County Jail on $100,000 bond, with conditions of release prohibiting internet access and contact with minors.

Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day is prosecuting the case in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.

Separate lawsuit targets AI platform

In the civil case, the state alleges A2E allows users to upload photographs or videos of real people, including children, and generate nude or sexually explicit depictions without their consent.

The complaint also alleges the platform permits users to digitally alter adults to appear underage in sexualized imagery.

Although A2E’s terms prohibit certain abusive content, the state alleges the company failed to enforce those restrictions through adequate monitoring, consent verification and reporting of illegal material.

The complaint cites separate criminal investigations in Tampa and Tallahassee in which people allegedly used A2E to generate child sexual abuse material.

“Predators who traffic in the abuse of children and animals have no place in Florida,” Uthmeier said.

He added that companies profiting from AI tools that facilitate child sexual abuse material or nonconsensual sexual imagery “will be held accountable.”

State seeks injunction and financial penalties

The lawsuit, filed in Sarasota County, alleges violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The state seeks a permanent injunction restricting the company’s provision of the challenged AI tools, restitution, recovery of profits and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per willful violation.

Reyes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The allegations against Rengstorff Consulting have not been proven in court. Responses from Reyes or his attorney and the company were not included in the materials available for this report.

Central Florida News

FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando

Published

4 days ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

Kash Patel seated onstage in a gray suit and dark tie, speaking with one hand raised against a black and turquoise background.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.

The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.

Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.

FBI priorities and violent crime

Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.

Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.

The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.

Photo by Florida National News

Cooperation across jurisdictions

Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.

Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.

Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.

Patel highlights partnerships in X post

“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.

Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.

In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.

The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..

Global threats and local policing

The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.

The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.

IACP President David B. Rausch, left, gestures over an open notebook while FBI Director Kash Patel listens from a gray armchair onstage.

FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.

Training and professional development

Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.

Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.

The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.

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Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com