Malik Kiell Forte, a 29-year-old resident of Fairburn, Georgia, has been sentenced to federal prison for crimes involving the theft of prescription drugs and illegal possession of a firearm. Forte’s criminal activities included burglarizing a warehouse and breaking into delivery vehicles outside pharmacies across metro Atlanta.
“Criminals who steal prescription medications for profit will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted,” stated U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. He emphasized the commitment to protecting vulnerable patients from such criminal acts.
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown highlighted the broader impact of Forte’s actions: “Forte’s actions not only harmed the businesses he targeted but impacted the safety and costs for anyone who relies on these medications.”
Court records reveal that between March 2021 and June 2022, Forte and accomplices stole nine shipments of prescription drugs from parked delivery vehicles at various pharmacies. Alongside co-conspirator Jaquay Joseph, they also stole pharmaceutical shipments from a distribution center in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The stolen drugs included hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine with an estimated value nearing $400,000. A search of Forte’s home led to the recovery of some stolen pharmaceuticals and a Glock pistol found in his bedroom—a violation due to his status as a multi-convicted felon.
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 after he pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025. The charges included conspiracy to commit theft, theft of medical products, theft of interstate shipments, drug trafficking conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuting the case.
For more information regarding this case or others handled by the office contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office via email at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or phone at (404) 581-6185.
