Crimes and Courts
Shooting at Alabama birthday party kills 4 people, wounds 28
Published
3 years agoon
DADEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Alabama law enforcement officers Sunday were imploring people to come forward with information about a shooting that killed four people and injured 28 others during a teenager’s birthday party.
Among those killed was a high school senior who planned to play college football and was celebrating his sister’s 16th birthday. The shooting erupted Saturday night at a dance studio in downtown Dadeville.
During two news conferences Sunday, Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency did not take questions. He did not say if a suspect was in custody or if investigators knew about any motivation. He did not provide the names of those killed.
“We’ve got to have information from the community,” Burkett said during a Sunday evening news conference.
Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, a Dadeville High School senior who had committed to Jacksonville State University, was celebrating at his sister Alexis’ party before he was shot to death, his grandmother Annette Allen told the Montgomery Advertiser.
“He was a very, very humble child. Never messed with anybody. Always had a smile on his face,” Allen told the newspaper, calling it “a million-dollar smile.”
Dowdell’s mother was among those hurt in the shooting.
“Everybody’s grieving,” Allen said.
Burkett said the shooting occurred about 10:30 p.m. Saturday. “There were four lives tragically lost in this incident,” he said.
The shootings rocked the city of 3,200 residents, which is about 57 miles (92 kilometers) northeast of Montgomery, Alabama.
Keenan Cooper, the DJ at the party, told WBMA-TV that the party was stopped briefly when attendees heard someone had a gun. He said people with guns were asked to leave, but no one left. Cooper said when the shooting began some time later, some people took shelter under a table where he was standing, and others ran out.
Pastor Jason Whetstone, who leads the Christian Faith Fellowship, said the granddaughter of one of his church members was shot in the foot and underwent surgery Sunday.
“All of our hearts are hurting right now. We’re just trying to pull together to find strength and comfort,” Whetstone said before an interfaith vigil in the parking lot of First Baptist Church.
“We are a loving community,” he said. “We’re pulling together in every aspect to comfort each and every one of these children, the teachers, all of the community.”
Dadeville’s compact downtown is centered around a courthouse square with one- and two-story brick buildings. The town’s busiest commercial district is a few blocks north of the square, off a bustling four-lane highway that runs between Birmingham and Auburn. Dadeville is close to Lake Martin, a popular recreational area.
Investigators on Sunday continued filing in and out of the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, denoted by a banner hanging on the outside of a one-story brick building just off the square. At least five bullet holes were visible in the studio’s front windows. Less than a block away, the American and Alabama flags were lowered to half staff outside the Tallapoosa County Courthouse.
Dadeville Mayor Frank Goodman said he was in bed asleep when a council member called him just before 11 p.m. Saturday. He said he went to Lake Martin Community Hospital in Dadeville, where some of the people who had been shot were taken.
“It was chaotic,” Goodman said. “There were people running around. They were crying and screaming. There were police cars everywhere, there were ambulances everywhere. People were trying to find out about their loved ones. That was a scene, where we never had anything like this happen in our city before.”
Pastor Ben Hayes, who serves as chaplain for the Dadeville Police Department and for the local high school football team, said most of the victims are teenagers. Dowdell was within weeks of graduation and faced a bright future, Hayes told The Associated Press.
“He was a strong competitor on the field,” Hayes said. “You didn’t want to try to tackle him or get tackled by him. But when he came off the field, he was one of the nicest young men that you could ever meet, very respectful and well-respected by his peers.”
Antojuan Woody, from the neighboring town of Camp Hill, was a senior and fellow wide receiver with Dowdell on a Dadeville Tigers football team that went undefeated before losing in the second round of the playoffs last year. He said he and Dowdell had been best friends for all of their lives.
“It hurts,” Woody said as a steady stream of friends and teammates walked over to hug him during Sunday’s prayer vigil. “It’s unreal. I can’t believe it.”
Woody said he and Dowdell had a special relationship on the football field. “Us being friends forever like that, our chemistry was spot on. We always celebrated together on the field,” he said.
He described the victims “as great people who didn’t deserve what happened to them.”
Hayes, the pastor, said worried families swarmed the local hospital Saturday night trying to find the condition of their children. He said serious crime is rare in Dadeville, and the small city is “sad, traumatized, in shock.”
Jacksonville State football coach Rich Rodriguez said in a statement Sunday: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Philstavious Dowdell and the other victims of the senseless tragedy last night. He was a great young man with a bright future.”
Dowdell also recently won medals at a high school track meet at Troy University.
Counseling will be available for students at Tallapoosa County schools Monday, said the school district superintendent, Raymond C. Porter.
“This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said on social media.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting, the White House said, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation and has been in touch with local officials and law enforcement to offer support.
“What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear? When parents have to worry every time their kids walk out the door to school, to the movie theater, or to the park?” Biden said in a statement Sunday. “Guns are the leading killer of children in America, and the numbers are rising – not declining. This is outrageous and unacceptable.”
Biden called on Congress to “require safe storage of firearms, require background checks for all gun sales, eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.”
The mayor said Dowdell was “a great young man.” He also said he is concerned about those wounded and psychologically traumatized by the shooting.
“We are praying for them,” Goodman said. “We ask God, if it’s his will, to bring them back to their parents safe, so they can mend.”
Goodman said guns and violence are not a frequent presence in Dadeville. He said trying to control guns would prove as futile as trying to control illegal drugs.
Dadeville High School had 485 students in grades 6-12 in 2022, according to Alabama state data. It serves Dadeville and nearby parts of Tallapoosa County. Like the rest of Dadeville, it’s tucked away just out of view off a busy highway that runs from Birmingham to Auburn.
Dadeville High’s head football coach Roger McDonald said he would try his best to support grieving students.
“There’s not a playbook for something like this,” he said. “So the best you’ve got to do is just love on your kids, let them all know how much you care about them, be there for them.”
McDonald said Dowdell had something special.
“He was a leader, and as far as his ability, an electrifying player,” the coach said.
Michael Taylor, an assistant coach, said he met Dowdell when the boy was 9 and coached him in youth football. Taylor said the team was invited to Atlanta to play in the stadium used by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
“He did some amazing things there, and he never stopped doing them since then,” he said. “He was the No. 1 athlete in the school.”
Taylor said he last heard from Dowdell on Friday, when Dowdell was seeking video of his athletic exploits. Taylor said he drove to the shooting scene Saturday night from his home in nearby Camp Hill.
“Man, I couldn’t get close,” Taylor said. “So once I found out what’s going on, I really I just had to leave because it was going to be all night.”
Taylor said he returned Sunday to see Dowdle’s body carried out from the dance studio. He said he’s not sure what he will tell other athletes Monday.
“The first thing we’ve got to do is we’ve got to pray our way out of this,” Taylor said Sunday. “There ain’t no other way. And then I can tell you, they’re all real close like family at the high school.”
This is at least the second time in recent years that multiple people were shot in Dadeville. Five people were wounded in July 2016 during a shooting at an American Legion hall, and a man was later charged with five counts of attempted murder, news outlets reported.
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Crimes and Courts
Florida Gaming Control Commission Seizes 163 Illegal Slot Machines, $247K in St. Petersburg
Published
4 weeks agoon
September 15, 2026
State gaming agents and partner law enforcement agencies targeted two St. Petersburg businesses, seizing more than $247,000 in cash and issuing notices to appear to three people.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (FNN) — The Florida Gaming Control Commission seized 163 alleged illegal slot machines and $247,285 in cash during searches of two St. Petersburg businesses as part of an enforcement action dubbed “Operation Final Spin,” according to the agency.
The Sept. 10 operation was conducted with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol and Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, according to an FGCC news release.
The searches targeted Action Arcade, 6541 54th Ave. N., and The Zoo Sports Club and Grille, 5111 66th St. N.
FGCC is responsible for regulating authorized gambling and enforcing Florida’s criminal gambling prohibitions. Its stated enforcement priorities include investigating illegal arcades, slot-machine businesses and the distribution of illegal gambling devices.
163 Machines Seized at Two Locations
According to FGCC, agents seized 90 machines and $142,020 from Action Arcade.
Two people were issued notices to appear, with each accused of one count of possession of slot machines and one count of keeping a gambling house, the agency said.
At The Zoo Sports Club and Grille, agents seized another 73 machines and $105,265, according to FGCC. One person was issued a notice to appear on allegations of possession of slot machines and acting as an agent or employee of a gambling house.
The allegations are charges, and the individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
State Rep. Berny Jacques Joins Enforcement Action
Florida Gaming Control Commission Vice Chair Tina Repp and state Rep. Berny Jacques participated in the enforcement action, according to the commission.
“These machines are designed to take advantage of people, and far too often that means senior citizens living on fixed incomes who can least afford to lose what they have,” Jacques said in the agency’s release.
Jacques thanked FGCC and participating law enforcement agencies and said the operation was intended to protect vulnerable residents.
Repp said the operation was part of a broader statewide enforcement effort.
“Operation Final Spin and the more than 200 illegal arcades we have shut down before this should make it clear that our goal is to disrupt and dismantle illegal gaming across the state of Florida,” Repp said.
The claim that more than 200 illegal arcades have previously been shut down is attributed to Repp and FGCC.
🎰Operation Final Spin: Two locations. 163 illegal slot machines. $247,285 in U.S. currency seized.
The Florida Gaming Control Commission executed search warrants in two locations in St. Petersburg as part of the operation with the participation of FGCC Vice Chair Tina Repp and… pic.twitter.com/IgNOYNv2gn
— Florida Gaming Control Commission (@FLGamingControl) September 15, 2026
Where Slot Machines Are Legal in Florida
Florida tightly restricts where slot machines can legally operate. FGCC says slot-machine gaming is authorized at eight licensed pari-mutuel facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties and at certain tribal gaming facilities. The agency says offering slot-machine gaming at an unlicensed establishment, including bars, restaurants and adult arcades, violates state law.
FGCC also warns that illegal gambling businesses operate outside regulatory safeguards governing licensed slot machines, including requirements related to game integrity and minimum payout percentages.
Florida’s gambling laws and regulations are primarily contained in Chapters 550, 551 and 849 of the Florida Statutes.
Reporting Suspected Illegal Gambling
People who suspect illegal gambling activity can submit information through the Florida Gaming Control Commission’s reporting system or call 850-880-3433.
Additional information about authorized gambling locations is available through the FGCC Gaming Locations directory.
Crimes and Courts
DOJ: Man Charged With Laundering Conspiracy in $1.3 Billion Medicare, Health Insurance Fraud Scheme
Published
1 month agoon
September 8, 2026
Federal prosecutors allege Erekle Gugava helped move proceeds from a transnational fraud operation that used stolen identities and submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent medical-equipment claims to Medicare and private insurers.
BOSTON (FNN) — A federal grand jury in Massachusetts has indicted a 33-year-old Georgian national on a money laundering conspiracy charge stemming from an alleged $1.3 billion health care fraud operation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal prosecutors allege Erekle Gugava served as a money launderer for a transnational criminal organization accused of orchestrating a multibillion-dollar scheme targeting Medicare and other health insurers.
The Justice Department announced the indictment Friday, Sept. 4.
According to DOJ, the organization, which prosecutors said was based in Russia and elsewhere, was previously identified through Operation Gold Rush, part of what the department has described as the largest health care fraud case it has prosecuted.
DOJ: $1.3 Billion in Allegedly Fraudulent Claims
According to charging documents cited by DOJ, Gugava purportedly owned ND Medical Solutions LLC, a Pennsylvania durable medical equipment company, from February through July 2025.
During that five-month period, prosecutors allege ND Medical submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent durable medical equipment claims to Medicare, private insurers providing Medicare supplemental coverage, employer-sponsored health plans and other insurers.
Those insurers paid ND Medical approximately $6.5 million, according to the Justice Department.
The distinction between the $1.3 billion and $6.5 million figures is significant: DOJ alleges $1.3 billion was billed, while approximately $6.5 million was actually paid to the company.
Prosecutors Allege Money Was Transferred Overseas
Federal prosecutors allege Gugava facilitated the deposit and transfer of proceeds generated by the scheme.
According to DOJ, Gugava opened several bank accounts in ND Medical’s name and was the sole signatory. Checks from Medicare supplemental insurers and other health insurers were allegedly deposited into those accounts.
Prosecutors allege the money was ultimately transferred to overseas bank accounts for the benefit of the transnational organization.
“Fraud networks cannot function without people willing to launder and transmit their proceeds,” Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division said in the department’s announcement.
McDonald said prosecutors allege Gugava helped move fraud proceeds through domestic and international financial channels.
DOJ: Stolen Identities Used to Support Claims
The alleged scheme also involved stolen identities, according to federal prosecutors.
DOJ said the fraudulent claims relied in part on identities belonging to people in Massachusetts, elsewhere in New England and across the United States.
Some were elderly or disabled Americans who reported receiving insurance explanation-of-benefits forms showing medical equipment they said they never received, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors said some records also identified doctors the beneficiaries said they had never visited and listed equipment as coming from ND Medical, a company with which they said they were unfamiliar.
Operation Gold Rush
DOJ said Gugava’s case is connected to Operation Gold Rush, an investigation targeting a transnational organization accused of exploiting Medicare and other insurers.
According to the Justice Department, the organization allegedly used payments originating from legitimate government programs and established insurance companies to facilitate money laundering. Because the payments came from legitimate insurers, prosecutors contend the proceeds initially appeared legitimate.
The department previously identified Operation Gold Rush as part of its broader national effort targeting health care fraud.
Six Federal Agencies Investigating
The investigation involves multiple federal law enforcement and oversight agencies, including:
- Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General
- FBI
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- IRS Criminal Investigation
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration
Prosecutors from DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts are handling the case.
Defendant Faces Up to 20 Years if Convicted
Gugava is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, according to DOJ. A maximum statutory penalty does not indicate what sentence would ultimately be imposed if a defendant is convicted.
The Justice Department also described Gugava in its announcement as an “illegal alien from Georgia.” That description reflects DOJ’s characterization of his immigration status in its Sept. 4 press release.
DOJ Expands Federal Fraud Enforcement
The Justice Department said the prosecution is part of its broader federal campaign against fraud involving government benefit programs.
According to DOJ, its Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has charged more than 6,200 defendants since 2007 in cases involving more than $45 billion in alleged billings to federal health care programs and private insurers.
The department also announced the creation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division earlier this year to coordinate investigations and prosecutions involving fraud against federal programs and the public.
Indictment Contains Allegations
An indictment is a formal accusation and does not establish guilt.
Gugava is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Crimes and Courts
DOJ Charges Five in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin in Alleged Illegal Voting, Voter Registration Cases
Published
1 month agoon
September 8, 2026
WASHINGTON (FNN) — Five people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin face federal charges in separate cases involving alleged illegal voting, false claims of U.S. citizenship or fraudulent voter registration connected to the 2022 or 2024 elections, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Justice Department announced the charges Friday, Sept. 4, saying the defendants include four non-U.S. citizens accused of illegally voting and one U.S. citizen accused of aiding and abetting election-related offenses.
The cases were brought in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, District of New Jersey and Western District of Wisconsin.
DOJ: Election Fraud Will Be Prosecuted
Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the DOJ announcement that election integrity is fundamental to American democracy and emphasized that voting in federal elections is limited to eligible U.S. citizens.
“Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such,” Blanche said.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau considers election integrity a priority and would investigate credible allegations of election fraud and illegal voting.
Federal officials also emphasized that the charges are allegations and have not resulted in findings of guilt.
Pennsylvania: Three People Charged
According to the Justice Department, Thomas Holtzman, 68, and his wife, Marisol Guzman, 50, both of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with allegations that Guzman illegally voted as a non-U.S. citizen in the 2024 election.
DOJ said Guzman was charged with voting as an alien.
Holtzman, a U.S. citizen, was charged with making a false statement of citizenship in order to vote and aiding and abetting, as well as fraudulent registration and aiding and abetting, according to federal prosecutors.
In a separate Pennsylvania case, Katya Rodriguez, 30, a Mexican national living in Harrisburg, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to alleged illegal voting in the 2024 election.
According to DOJ, Rodriguez was charged with making a false statement of citizenship in order to vote, fraudulent registration and voting as an alien.
If convicted, Holtzman faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, Guzman up to one year and Rodriguez up to 11 years, according to the Justice Department. Any sentence would be determined by a federal judge based on applicable law and federal sentencing guidelines.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the Pennsylvania cases, DOJ said.
New Jersey: Federal Complaint Alleges Noncitizen Voted in 2024 Primary
In New Jersey, Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso of Union County was charged with voting by an alien in a federal election, according to the Justice Department.
The federal complaint alleges Cardoso was not a U.S. citizen when she registered through the New Jersey Division of Elections’ Online Voter Registration System.
According to prosecutors, Cardoso falsely certified on her voter registration application that she was a U.S. citizen.
DOJ said Cardoso allegedly cast a ballot in the June 2024 primary election, which included candidates seeking federal office.
Federal prosecutors said Cardoso entered the United States from Ecuador on a B-2 visa and was not a U.S. citizen when she allegedly voted.
If convicted, Cardoso faces a statutory maximum of one year in prison. Her initial court appearance was scheduled for Sept. 8, according to DOJ.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services investigated the case.
Wisconsin: 2022 Election Vote Leads to Federal Charge
In Wisconsin, Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, a Mexican national living in Beloit, was charged Sept. 2 with illegally voting as an alien in the November 2022 election, according to the Justice Department.
A federal criminal information alleges Jurado Garcia knew he was not a U.S. citizen when he voted on Nov. 8, 2022, in an election that included races for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
If convicted, Jurado Garcia faces a statutory maximum sentence of one year in prison, DOJ said.
Federal Officials Emphasize Election-Law Enforcement
U.S. attorneys in all three jurisdictions used the announcement to emphasize federal enforcement of election laws.
U.S. Attorney Brian Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said his office would prosecute people accused of illegally voting in federal elections as well as those accused of facilitating illegal voting.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey said the federal government has a responsibility to safeguard elections and investigate alleged violations of federal election law.
U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma for the Western District of Wisconsin similarly said his office is committed to enforcing federal election laws.
Homeland Security Investigations also said its agents worked with federal partners to investigate the alleged conduct and support the prosecutions.
Charges Remain Allegations
The cases are at the charging stage.
A criminal complaint, indictment or information contains allegations and does not establish that a defendant committed a crime. All five defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
