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 as a convicted felon. The sentencing follows Forte's involvement in burglarizing a warehouse and breaking into delivery vehicles outside pharmacies in the metro Atlanta area.
"Criminals who steal prescription medications for profit will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted," stated U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. He emphasized the commitment of his office to protect vulnerable patients and penalize those who commit such crimes.
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown remarked on 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." Brown assured that the FBI would hold accountable those seeking personal gain at others' expense.
Court documents revealed that between March 2021 and June 2022, Forte participated in stealing nine shipments of prescription drugs from delivery vehicles parked outside various pharmacies. Alongside co-conspirator Jaquay Joseph, Forte also stole from a pharmaceutical distribution center in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The stolen pharmaceuticals included hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine among other drugs.
During a search of Forte’s home, agents discovered some of the stolen pharmaceuticals along with a Glock pistol found in his bedroom. As a multi-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. His convictions include 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 after pleading guilty on February 5, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to this case's resolution. Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
For more information regarding this case or related inquiries contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office via email at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or phone at (404) 581-6185. Additional details about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.