The Department of Justice announced charges on Wednesday against Corey Gray, a LaPorte, Indiana resident, for the unlawful transfer of a firearm that was recovered during the arrest of individuals allegedly involved in the arrest of off duty Chicago Police Officer...
Chicago Criminal Law Blog
Psilocybin, More Commonly Referred to as “Shrooms” or “Magic Mushrooms” Are All the Rage, But They Are Still Illegal; Could it Be the Next Decriminalized Drug?
The stigma surrounding psychedelics has seemed to change with the times. Accordingly, there have been what appears to be widespread efforts to change the legal status of certain psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin, more commonly referred to as Magic Mushrooms. But...
ShotSpotter, Facial Recognition Software, and Issues with Emerging Police Technology
Police departments across the United States have increasingly turned to new technology and software in assisting with criminal investigations. However, critics have sounded the alarm over their implementation, citing issues with the accuracy of these untested...
Illinois State and Municipal Gun Regulations Face Supreme Court Review
Illinois Supreme Court Fast Tracks Review of Assault Weapons Ban In the wake of the tragic shooting in Highland Park at a Fourth of July parade, Governor Prtizker signed a law that banned the sale and transfer of various assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as...
F.B.I. Art Crime Team Investigation Leads to Conviction of California Man
Latest Arrest of a California Auctioneer Who Created Counterfeit Basquiat Paintings A California auctioneer, Michael Barzman, has pled guilty to his involvement in creating/peddling fake art and then lying to agents investigating pieces he helped sell online. Last...
Cryptocurrency Faces Heightened Scrutiny from Government Agencies
Crypto Firm Executive Fights SEC Over Definition of Cryptocurrency Tokens A former manager, Ishan Wahi, at Coinbase which according to its website is a “secure online platform for buying, selling, transferring, and storing cryptocurrency,” pled guilty to wire fraud...
Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act Effects on the Healthcare Industry
What Are the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act? The Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) is a criminal statute that was originally passed in 1972 in order to rein in healthcare abuses that had proliferated in the years immediately after the creation of Medicare and...
Prosecutors Use of Cell Phone Apps To Track Defendants in Criminal Cases
As highlighted in the recent national news coverage of the Alex Murdaugh murder trial, prosecutors are increasingly relying on data recovered from cell phones in order to charge and convict people of crimes. One video recovered from one the deceased’s cell phone...
Former Federal Agent Is Sent To Prison For Sex Tourism: Here’s What You Should Know
At the end of 2022, former federal agent Joseph Albert Fuchs III was sentenced to 126 months (10.5 years) imprisonment after an investigation revealed that he had been sending money and eliciting sex from a 14-year-old in the Philippines. The charges of enticement of...
What Does The Servis Horse Doping Case Mean For Other Sports?
Athletes across the world watched this month as elite horse trainer Jason Servis plead guilty to doping related charges. For years, the horse racing community has known service as a premier horse trainer, leading dozens of horses to victory and winning millions in...