CINCINNATI — Local, state and federal law enforcement officials on Monday announced federal firearm charges against nine people — the latest arrests in ongoing efforts to target violent crime in the city.
Dominick S. Gerace II, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, said seven people have been indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, while two others — both under the age of 21 — are indicted for illegal possession of a machine gun:
- Polo Alexander, 37, felon in possession of a firearm
- Austin Fowler, 46, felon in possession of a firearm
- Lamont Golightly, 28, felon in possession of a firearm
- Adrian Hardy, 19, illegal possession of a machine gun
- Nathaniel Mack, 40, felon in possession of a firearm
- Rodrick Meatchem-White, 18, illegal possession of a machine gun
- Auston Page, 31, felon in possession of a firearm
- Reca Shelton, 40, felon in possession of a firearm
- Naim Warren, 29, felon in possession of a firearm
Gerace said Page's arrest came as a direct result of the Violent Crime Reduction Initiative, a joint effort between the city of Cincinnati and the state of Ohio following a violent summer in 2025.
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According to a release, Page was allegedly a passenger in a car that was leading police on a pursuit Dec. 30. Page allegedly ran away and got rid of a firearm. After being taken into custody, police said Page was found with another firearm.
"I expect to see a steady stream of these cases to continue out of my office, and that expectation is bolstered by the fact that every law enforcement agency represented up here, including the attorney general's office, has dedicated resources to this mission," Gerace said.
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In fact, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced that his office has fully funded a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position that focuses specifically on violent crime and gun charges in Cincinnati. The position, he said, will be filled by former Hamilton County assistant prosecutor Allison Oswall.
"The federal system is more stringent on the penalties," Yost said. "You take those (criminals) off the streets and incapacitate them because they're locked up, that means fewer crimes long term."
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The news comes around seven months after Gov. Mike DeWine first announced plans to have state officials assist the City of Cincinnati in addressing violent crime.
The partnership led to 36 felony arrests, 13 felony warrants, 17 recovered guns and nine recovered stolen cars in 2025 alone, according to previously published data.
As part of operations, the state has been providing aerial support for Cincinnati police investigations, offering shared evidence and intelligence with the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center and assisting with traffic enforcement on local interstates.
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In September, the partnership expanded to federal law enforcement with the creation of the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Force Team, which focuses on people currently wanted for violent crime as well as those who have violated terms of their post-release control.
OSHP in January first released data on the results of the initiative, noting 36 felony arrests, 17 recovered guns and nine recovered stolen cars in 2025. Since then, there have been more than 60 felony arrests and more than 40 illegally possessed firearms recovered.
CPD Interim Chief Adam Hennie said the efforts will continue into the summer months, when Cincinnati often sees an uptick in violent crime.
"As an agency, we know that violent crime is our number one priority, and we cannot combat that alone," Hennie said. "If it's not for the strong partnerships that we have ... we can never complete that mission. I hope all of the citizens of this city know how much all of these partners are committed to their safety and how we're going to continue with this mission as we move on through these summer months."
