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Delaware Warns of DMV, E-ZPass Text Scams

Delaware Department of Justice issued a consumer alert warning residents about ongoing text message scams impersonating the DMV and E-ZPass. The scams request payment or personal information via text, which legitimate agencies never do. Consumers are advised to delete suspicious messages and report fraud attempts.

Alabama AG Defends Death Row Convictions in Two Triple-Homicide Cases

Alabama AG Steve Marshall announced successful defense of death row convictions for James Brownfield (convicted of 2001 triple homicide in Jackson County) and Kerry Spencer (convicted of 2004 murders of three Birmingham police officers). Federal courts dismissed both inmates' petitions challenging their convictions and sentences after the AG petitioned the Eleventh Circuit to end years of delays.

Act 57 of 2025 Requires Vape Manufacturers to Certify with Pennsylvania AG

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Act 57 of 2025 is now in effect, requiring all electronic cigarette manufacturers selling nicotine products in Pennsylvania to certify with the Attorney General's office. The Office will maintain a public directory listing certified manufacturers, product names, flavors, and categories by June 20, 2026. Approximately 11,090 Other Tobacco Products licensees in Pennsylvania may only purchase from certified manufacturers.

Maryland Secures $2.2M Settlement for Lead Paint Tower Contamination

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and Maryland Department of Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain secured a $2.2 million settlement and consent decree against Television Tower, Inc. and Skyline Tower Painting, Inc. following the improper removal of lead-based paint from a Baltimore broadcast tower in May-June 2022. The work, conducted without required containment controls, spread lead paint chips up to half a mile into surrounding neighborhoods including Woodberry, reaching parks, playgrounds, and daycares. The settlement funds environmental cleanup and community remediation.

Iowa AG Sues Meta for Misleading Children About Instagram Safety

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc. and its subsidiaries Instagram and Facebook, alleging violations of Iowa's consumer protection laws. The state claims Instagram misrepresented its platform as safe for children while containing explicit sexual content, pornography, drug references, and child exploitation material. Iowa seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions requiring Instagram to stop its allegedly deceptive practices regarding content moderation and age-appropriate ratings.

Two Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Life Insurance Fraud Scheme Targeting Vulnerable Arizonans

Arizona Attorney General Mayes announced prison sentences for two defendants convicted of life insurance fraud. Ryan Michell received 5.5 years and Shannon Lovell received 3.5 years in Arizona Department of Corrections for operating a fraudulent scheme from July 2017 to July 2019. The defendants created a fictitious "Patriot Life Insurance Company" and targeted vulnerable populations including individuals with substance abuse and homelessness to fraudulently collect insurance proceeds.

Warns Arizonans of Investment Scams on Meta Platforms

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a consumer alert warning Arizonans about fraudulent investment schemes on Meta platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The alert describes pump and dump scams, confidence scams, and cryptocurrency fraud using deepfake technology and unauthorized celebrity endorsements to lure victims. The AG urges victims to report fraud at azag.gov/consumer.

Court Upholds Roderick Byrd Triple Murder Death Sentence

The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the dismissal of Roderick Byrd's postconviction challenge, upholding his 2007 capital murder convictions and death sentence for the 2005 triple murder of Kim Olney, John Aylesworth, and Dorothy Smith during a robbery of the Airport Inn in Birmingham. The appellate court rejected Byrd's petition filed in 2012, which had been dismissed by the Jefferson Circuit Court in 2023.

State Police Cpl. guilty of AI pornography, secret recordings

Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Stephen Kamnik pleaded guilty to 15 charges including using work computers to access AI tools for creating pornography, secretly filming and photographing individuals including coworkers, misusing law enforcement databases (JNET) for personal purposes, possessing child sexual abuse material, and possessing a stolen firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for July 8 in Montgomery County Court.

teenTALK in Erie County: Attorney General Sunday Meets with Students for Discussion on Social Media's Impact on Mental Health

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday held teenTALK community discussions with students from Erie, Warren, and Crawford counties to gather input on how social media impacts youth mental health. The Office of Attorney General is compiling student feedback to inform potential policy advocacy for safer online spaces. The event builds on existing school cellphone bans and discusses responsible social media use education.