Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced a series of significant legal actions, public safety initiatives, and community engagements throughout April, showcasing his office’s focus on combating crime, protecting consumers, and defending state interests.
Griffin began the month speaking at the Trumann Annual Meeting, where he addressed organized retail crime, cybersecurity, human trafficking, and provided an update on the Bob R. Brooks Jr. Justice Building. He also commended Senior Assistant Solicitor General Asher Steinberg for his work on an amicus brief highlighted by the Texas Attorney General’s office.
On April 2, Griffin joined a multistate brief defending former President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting government funding for sex-change surgeries and cross-sex hormones for prisoners. He also announced charges against Micah Shawn Morrison, 51, of Hot Springs for allegedly possessing sexually explicit material involving a minor.
Following severe tornado damage in east and south Arkansas, Griffin issued a Consumer Alert on April 3, warning residents of potential home-repair scams. Later that week, he visited the Magnolia Recovery Community to learn about their services.
The Attorney General’s office continued its consumer protection efforts with an April 7 alert about cryptocurrency kiosk scams. Griffin also represented Arkansas at the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) conference, where he spoke on cell phone jamming and moderated a session on combating human trafficking.
Griffin’s focus on public safety was evident on April 10, when he announced the arrest of Andrew Sellwood and Robyn Rosamond-Sellwood, accused of participating in an organized retail crime scheme involving stolen gift cards. The same day, he joined the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force in notifying telecommunications companies about potential violations related to illegal robocalls.
Throughout the month, Griffin’s office secured several criminal convictions. These included Richard Keith Dewberry, 68, of North Little Rock, who pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts of distributing and possessing sexually explicit material involving a minor, and Michelle Chase, 55, of Memphis, who pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud.
In addition to criminal prosecutions, Griffin led or joined several multistate coalitions advocating for policy changes. On April 14, he led a 39-state coalition urging Congress to prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from owning or operating pharmacies. Days later, he co-led a 15-state group asking the Business Roundtable to abandon certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
On April 23, Griffin announced the creation of a Financial Fraud Task Force aimed at strengthening state efforts against financial crimes. The state also received over $47 million in proceeds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, which funds public health initiatives.
Griffin capped the month by joining 17 other attorneys general in requesting revisions to the Waters of the United States rule, advocating for clear guidelines on federal water regulations.
“It continues to be an honor to serve as your Attorney General, fighting to protect your constitutional rights, holding criminals accountable, and protecting Arkansans from scammers,” Griffin said.
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