Notable Arrests and Sentencing in Recent Crimes

A 74-year-old Florida sex offender, Gary Wayne Howard, was arrested in Indiana on November 13, 2025, after faking his own death in 2010 to evade arrest. Howard, who was convicted of 22 counts of child pornography possession in 2007, had been on the run for nearly 16 years. He was tracked down by US Marshals and arrested at his Indianapolis-area home. Howard is facing extradition to Florida to face charges related to violating his probation and failing to register as a sex offender. He is also facing a federal 'Adam Walsh prosecution case' in Indiana related to child exploitation.

A 27-year-old married teacher, Elena Bardin, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for sexually abusing a 17-year-old male inmate at the Adair County Juvenile Detention Center in Kentucky. Bardin, who taught English at the center, was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse and unlawful transaction with a minor after a jury trial. The abuse was discovered when a routine search of the inmate's room uncovered 193 sexually explicit letters and photos sent by Bardin. The judge noted that Bardin had admitted to having sexual contact with the inmate and had been warned by her supervisor to end the relationship. Bardin was also accused of asking the inmate to murder her husband, but was acquitted of that charge. She will be required to register as a sex offender for 20 years.

The estate of OJ Simpson has agreed to pay $57,997,858.12 to Fred Goldman, the father of Ron Goldman, who was murdered alongside Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson in 1994. The payment is part of a wrongful death judgment that Goldman won against Simpson in 1995. The executor of Simpson's estate, Malcolm LaVergne, initially disputed Goldman's claim, which was over $117 million, but eventually agreed to the lower amount after negotiations. The estate plans to pay the approved amount through ongoing auctions of Simpson's possessions.