Sentenced

Mother Sentenced to 10 Years of Probation in Groundbreaking Fentanyl Case Linked to Infant’s Death

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MCKINNEY, Texas — A 24-year-old woman from Collin County has been sentenced to 10 years of probation following her conviction in the fatal fentanyl poisoning of her 8-month-old daughter. The jury reached its decision after five hours of deliberation. Mary Alice Locke was found guilty of first-degree injury to a child in the tragic case, which marks the first known instance of a baby dying from fentanyl exposure in Collin County. Her sentence could have ranged from probation to 99 years in prison. In the courtroom, Locke shared an emotional moment with her attorney and … Read more

Miami Man Sentenced to Life for Massive Fentanyl and Meth Trafficking: A Major Win for Law Enforcement in Arkansas

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CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ark. — A man from Miami, Florida, received a life sentence on Tuesday after being convicted of trafficking fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid associated with a growing number of overdose deaths in the U.S. Derrick Scudder, 36, was apprehended on September 23, 2024, following a high-speed chase initiated by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The pursuit ended when Scudder crashed his vehicle on Highway 64 in Alma, Arkansas. His arrest resulted from a collaborative operation involving the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Arkansas State Police, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. In the SUV Scudder … Read more

Ex-Kentucky Officer Sentenced to Prison for Excessive Force in Breonna Taylor Raid Amid Outrage Over Light Recommendation

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Louisville, Ky. — A former police officer was sentenced Monday to nearly three years in prison for excessive use of force during the controversial 2020 raid that resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor. The decision came from U.S. District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings, who rejected a recommendation from the Justice Department that suggested no prison time for Brett Hankison. Hankison, the only officer charged in connection with the fatal incident, fired ten shots during the botched raid on Taylor’s apartment. None of his shots injured anyone during the chaotic encounter, which has drawn national … Read more

Justice Served: Arkansas Woman Sentenced to 36 Years for Attempted Murder and Child Endangerment

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Jonesboro, Arkansas—A Craighead County jury has convicted 30-year-old Christin Leeann Helms of attempting to commit murder and endangering a minor, according to Prosecuting Attorney Sonia F. Hagood. The verdict was reached on July 8, with Circuit Judge Chris Thyer overseeing the proceedings. Helms received a 30-year sentence for the attempted murder charge, alongside a six-year term for child endangerment. Both sentences will be served consecutively, bringing her total prison time to 36 years at the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The prosecution, led by Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Charlene Davidson and Katherine Calaway, highlighted extensive investigations conducted … Read more