Theodore S. Hertzberg United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia | Department of Justice
Malik Kiell Forte, a 29-year-old resident of Fairburn, Georgia, has been sentenced to federal prison for stealing prescription drugs valued at nearly $400,000 and possessing a firearm despite multiple felony convictions. The sentencing follows his involvement in burglarizing a warehouse and breaking into delivery vehicles outside pharmacies in the metro Atlanta area.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg emphasized the commitment to prosecuting those who steal prescription medications for profit. "Criminals who steal prescription medications for profit will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted," Hertzberg stated. He highlighted the importance of protecting vulnerable patients and punishing offenders.
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown noted the broader impact of Forte's actions on businesses and medication costs for consumers. "Forte’s actions not only harmed the businesses he targeted but impacted the safety and costs for anyone who relies on these medications," Brown said.
Between March 2021 and June 2022, Forte and accomplices stole nine shipments of prescription drugs from delivery vehicles parked at various pharmacies. Additionally, Forte and co-conspirator Jaquay Joseph stole shipments from a pharmaceutical distribution center in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The stolen pharmaceuticals included hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine among others.
During a search of Forte's home, agents discovered some of the stolen drugs along with a Glock pistol in his bedroom. As a convicted felon, Forte was prohibited from possessing firearms.
On July 2, 2025, Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. sentenced Forte to four years and nine months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He was convicted on charges including conspiracy to commit theft, theft of medical products, drug trafficking conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person after pleading guilty earlier this year.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to these charges. Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
For more information, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. Further details can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Northern District of Georgia at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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