US citizen arrested twice at work by immigration officers, suit says, & more cases
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Thousands of legal cases reach U.S. courts every year. From accusations of mistreatment in prisons to fraud to sexual abuse and beyond, here are some of the latest from across the country.
Couple trafficking woman ‘hunted her down’ as she tried to escape in NC, feds say
In North Carolina, Dartez Omar Faulk and Rosalind Carol Comfort were convicted of sex trafficking after federal prosecutors say they forced a woman into prostitution by exploiting her drug addiction and abusive relationship. The couple threatened to kill the woman and hunted her down when she tried to escape, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The woman was eventually rescued after her mother reported her missing, prosecutors say. | Published Sept. 29 | Read More
Surgeon wrongly removed an entire organ, SC lawsuit says. Jury awards millions
A South Carolina jury awarded $5.1 million to Natalie Boyd in a medical malpractice case against Dr. Richard C. Osman, who she accused of removing her entire thyroid gland without consent, according to her attorney. Boyd says the surgery led to numerous health issues, and the jury found that Osman breached the standard of care, court records show. The lawsuit says Osman was only supposed to remove part of the gland if cancer was found, but no cancer was detected. | Published Sept. 29 | Read More
Adult film actor planned to sexually abuse boy with ‘babysitter’ in NY, feds say
In New York, adult film actor Justin Heath Smith, known as “Austin Wolf,” was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to enticement of a minor, according to federal prosecutors. Prosecutors say Smith planned to abuse a 9-year-old boy with a man he thought was the child’s babysitter, but the child did not exist. Smith was also found with over a thousand child pornography files, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. | Published Sept. 30 | Read More
‘Everything went black.’ Cops beat CA mom unconscious in front of kids, suit says
Nakia Porter settled a federal civil rights lawsuit for $17 million after she was beaten unconscious by deputies in California, according to her attorney. Porter was stopped by deputies while switching seats with her father during a drive, and body camera footage shows her being forcibly detained, according to her lawsuit. The lawsuit says the deputies acted without probable cause, and the case was settled with Solano County. | Published Oct. 1 | Read More
US citizen arrested twice at work by immigration officers in Alabama, suit says
Leo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen, filed a federal class-action lawsuit over being arrested twice by immigration officers at his Alabama worksite. Venegas says officers ignored his REAL ID and detained him based on his appearance, violating his constitutional rights. The lawsuit argues that such raids are unconstitutional and seeks to end the practice. | Published Oct. 2 | Read More
Dad of 6 found dead in snow had hit put on him by CA business partner, feds say
Serhat Gumrukcu, a California businessman, faces a life sentence over orchestrating the murder of Gregory Davis, a father of six, in Vermont, according to federal prosecutors. Prosecutors say Gumrukcu arranged the killing to prevent Davis from taking legal action against him in a business dispute. Three other men have been sentenced for their roles in the murder-for-hire plot, according to prosecutors. | Published Oct. 3 | Read More
McClatchy News continues to follow lawsuits and legal cases from around the country. Check back for more legal stories.
This story was originally published October 6, 2025 at 6:04 AM with the headline "US citizen arrested twice at work by immigration officers, suit says, & more cases."