Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on February 20, 2025, to 27 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,073,185 on his conviction of mail fraud, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Michael Dominick, 44, who pleaded guilty to the mail fraud charge on October 8, 2024 (read the plea news release here).

According to information presented to the Court, Dominick was a former manager at the Ambridge Water Authority (AWA), where, during the period of January 2020 through August 2022, Dominick defrauded AWA of money and property totaling approximately $1,073,185. As manager of AWA, Dominick was responsible for overseeing all daily business and financial activity and had access to AWA’s bank accounts as well as cash and check payments made to AWA for water and related services. Dominick secretly diverted AWA’s money into his own personal bank accounts by writing checks to himself, depositing cash and checks issued to AWA into his personal bank accounts, using the AWA debit card to make purchases of personal items, and adjusting or failing to report the true location of AWA’s funds on critical financial records. As part of his sentencing, Dominick was ordered to pay restitution to the AWA and one of its insurers in the full amount stolen.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that the sentence imposed would reflect Dominick’s significant abuse of public trust in perpetrating the fraud.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators with the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dominick.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of imprisonment on his conviction of possession of contraband in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Lafon Ellis, 30, who is currently incarcerated at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center.

According to information presented to the Court, throughout 2023, Ellis repeatedly possessed contraband and otherwise violated the law through his conduct while imprisoned at the Allegheny County Jail. On February 17, 2023, a search of Ellis’s cell revealed a Schedule I controlled substance commonly referred to as K2. On May 3, 2023, a search of his cell revealed a piece of paper that subsequent testing revealed to be K2. He also had 16 intact Suboxone strips and 57 partial Suboxone strips. On August 9, 2023, a search of Ellis’s cell revealed eight sheets of K2. A search of his cell on December 10, 2023, revealed marijuana, K2, and Suboxone. Additionally, Ellis was the subject of about two dozen other misconduct reports, most of which related to Ellis refusing to obey valid orders, threatening employees, engaging in physical altercations with employees, fighting with other inmates, threatening to kill a correctional officer, and possessing a nail that he was fashioning into a weapon.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Marshals Service and Allegheny County Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ellis.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Thomas Thornton, 48, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about December 19, 2024, Thornton possessed a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of multiple prior felonies, including on federal drug trafficking and firearms charges. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Philip Walker, 39, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around November 2019 through in and around April 2022, in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida, and Texas, Walker conspired to recruit and entice persons—namely adult females—knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion, or any combination of such means would be used to cause those persons to engage in commercial sex acts.

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Walker.

This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 18, 2025, to a charge of child exploitation, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Brandon Jennings, 38, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti to one count of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, in and around March 2021 and July 2021, Jennings possessed 926 images and 803 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent.

Judge Flowers Conti scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Jennings.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Ocala, Florida, has been sentenced to time served, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction for money laundering conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Charles Wilson Stout, 66, who had served approximately six months of imprisonment for his crime.

According to information presented to the Court, Stout engaged in a money laundering conspiracy from in and around April 2022 until in and around June 2022. The Court was advised that a Washington, D.C.-based university was the victim of a business email compromise that resulted in the fraudulent transfer of more than $603,000 from a bank account located in the Western District of Pennsylvania into a separate bank account owned by Stout.

To obfuscate the source of the fraudulent funds, Stout and his co-defendant, David Kakra Mensah, created a shell company and transferred portions of the fraudulently obtained proceeds into a cryptocurrency account that Mensah owned. In addition to participating in the business e-mail compromise, Mensah was also involved in a romance fraud scheme in which he obtained and moved money through individual victims living in Pennsylvania, Oregon, and elsewhere. Mensah previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.

Assistant United States Attorneys Mark V. Gurzo and Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Stout.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of federal firearms charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Michael Guin, 27.

According to information presented to the Court, on or about January 22, 2024, Guin and his co-defendant, Steyn Sarduy, conspired to steal a truck and used the stolen vehicle to crash into and gain access to a firearms store in New Kensington. The defendants broke multiple display cases and stole 24 firearms. As a previously convicted felon, Guin was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Guin.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of East Conemaugh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Kari Ameen Wheeler, 38, pleaded guilty to Counts One and Two of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about August 21, 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Wheeler distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Further, on August 23, 2024, Wheeler possessed two firearms and ammunition after previously having been convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and Cambria County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wheeler.

PITTSBURH, Pa. – A resident of Swissvale, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Robert Prater, 33, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about January 27, 2025, Prater possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Juan Antonio Lopez Mauricio, 25, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on January 30, 2025, Mauricio was found in this District after having been removed from the United States four times between 2012 and 2015.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Guatemala has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Eric Estuardo Hernandez-Ramos, 19, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on January 25, 2025, Hernandez-Ramos was found in the Western District of Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States on or about December 18, 2023.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Braddock, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Terrance Chatman, 33, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on or about December 11, 2024, Chatman possessed a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of four prior felonies, including on murder, robbery, criminal conspiracy, and firearms charges. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws and agreed that later this year he will be sentenced to 35 years in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Erik Addison, 28, pleaded guilty to four counts before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, including possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, possession of a machinegun, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 8, 2023, law enforcement in Pittsburgh attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Addison when he fled police and then abandoned and ran from the vehicle. Addison was pursued, detained, and arrested, with a police video camera recording the defendant in possession of a firearm later determined to be a Glock 19 9mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a Glock switch, intended to convert a weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Investigators also recovered from Addison two cell phones, more than $3,200 in cash, and car keys.

A search of the vehicle registered to Addison revealed a black bag containing 28 bricks of fentanyl, a 31 round 9mm Glock magazine, and Addison’s state ID card. The suspected fentanyl was confirmed, by laboratory testing, to consist of fentanyl as well as a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Addison’s cell phone contained extensive evidence of Addison’s drug trafficking and knowledge of Glock switches, including entries in which he described having such firearms. At the time of the offenses to which Addison pleaded guilty, he was serving a term of supervised release following his conviction for a prior federal firearms offense in 2021. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

In addition to the federal charges, Addison is also facing charges in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas stemming from his conduct on May 8, 2023. On October 2, 2023, while detained at the Allegheny County Jail awaiting trial on his state and federal charges, Addison was found in possession of ABD-Butanica, a synthetic cannabinoid and Schedule I controlled substance.

“Erik Addison’s blatant disregard for the law by possessing a dangerous firearm in connection with illegal fentanyl trafficking while on federal supervised release for a prior conviction and then, possessing another controlled substance while incarcerated on those charges, demonstrates the need to have dangerous criminals like him off of our streets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “Today’s plea is a testament to the good work of our law enforcement partners in helping to bring violent traffickers such as Addison to justice.”

“Armed with fentanyl, heroin, and a pistol converted into a dangerous machinegun via an illegal ‘switch,’ this defendant was a deadly threat to his neighborhood,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Stopping criminals from endangering our communities with illegal firearms is a top ATF priority. We thank our local partners for their diligence and courage in this apprehension, as well as the United States Attorney’s Office’s support as we work to make our communities safer.”

“We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in moving this case to a resolution,” said Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns. “These violent incidents leave a lasting impact throughout our community, and only strengthen our commitment to work with our local and federal partners to keep dangerous, illegal weapons off our streets.”

Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. As to the most serious offense, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of imprisonment with a maximum possible sentence of life, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The investigation and prosecution of Addison was the result of a collaborative effort between the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Police Department, and Edgewood Borough Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

James Pinkston, 35, pleaded guilty to Counts One, Three, and Four of the Second Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pinkston conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Pinkston was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Similarly, in and around March 2023, Pinkston possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. Further, from in and around April 2022 to in and around March 2023, Pinkston conspired to commit money laundering by using a payments app to receive and initiate payments for drug transactions.

Pinkston was one of 35 individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown in December 2023 on narcotics, conspiracy, and money laundering charges for their participation in a violent transnational drug and money laundering operation. The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that the operation imported from Mexico millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine that then were distributed and sold throughout the United States (read the news release regarding the Second Superseding Indictment here). Pinkston served as the western Pennsylvania connection to the Phoenix, Arizona, drug trafficking organization responsible for importing the drugs from Mexico.

Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pinkston. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Daniel Culmer, 57, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to Count One of the Superseding Indictment and to violating conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around April 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Culmer conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack. Culmer was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drug that he distributed to others. At the time of the offense, Culmer was on supervised release from a prior federal conviction in 2018 in the Western District of Pennsylvania for distributing heroin.

Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Culmer. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to a charge of child exploitation, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Michael J. Close Jr., 53, of the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on at least four occasions from May 16, 2022, through July 6, 2022, Close purchased and received from an online Russian vendor compressed and encrypted video and still image collections depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent. Close created a cryptocurrency account and, using a cryptocurrency exchange platform, transferred payment to the vendor in bitcoin. Once payment was received, the vendor provided Close with a password to access and view the encrypted videos and still images.

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court remanded Close to the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations in Pittsburgh and Portland, Maine, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Close.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Freedom, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of embezzlement of labor union assets, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Vincent Wolf, 57, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from approximately April 2013 through April 2021, Wolf served as the financial secretary for the United Steelworkers Local Union 623 in Freedom. As financial secretary, Wolf was responsible for maintaining all financial records, preparing annual reports, and issuing payments on behalf of Local 623 related to union officers’ salaries and expenses. An audit of the union’s finances following Wolf’s re-election loss revealed that Wolf omitted from those records disbursements that he made to himself in the form of writing union checks to himself, ATM withdrawals, and using the union debit card to buy lunch and alcohol. The audit determined that Wolf embezzled a total of $14,695.

Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain to Wolf, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wolf.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Charles Woods, 67, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that investigators identified Woods as a methamphetamine supplier for a drug trafficking operation between Akron, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Investigators searched Woods’ residence and obtained approximately 294 grams of methamphetamine. During his hearing, Woods admitted that he conspired to distribute and distributed between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine over a five-month period.

Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Woods.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Queens, New York, was sentenced in federal court to six years of imprisonment on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties of Pennsylvania, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Timothy Paz, 32, on January 21, 2025, also ordering that Paz serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.

According to information presented to the Court, Paz was a courier who transported approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine from the New York City area to Altoona, Pennsylvania, on behalf of a large-scale narcotics supplier.  Paz also transported large amounts of United States currency representing payment for the methamphetamine from an Altoona-based narcotics distributor to the supplier.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Paz.  

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Dario Fortunato-Torres, 37, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, in October 2024, Fortunato-Torres was found in this District after having been removed from the United States on seven prior occasions between September 2013 and October 2017. Public records show that Fortunato-Torres was charged by the Moon Township Police Department on October 8, 2024, for conduct allegedly occurring on October 1, 2024. He was arrested on November 19, 2024, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement related to this charge.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Honduras has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Luis Fernando Diaz-Garcia, 27, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, in August 2024, Diaz-Garcia was found in western Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States on or about November 13, 2019. Public records show that Diaz-Garcia was charged by criminal complaint in Allegheny County by the Pennsylvania State Police for conduct allegedly occurring on or about August 19, 2024.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Russellton, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The two-count Indictment named Michael Rearick, 43, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, from April 21, 2023, until April 23, 2023, Rearick traveled and transported a minor from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Canada, with the intent that the minor engage in criminal activity and illicit sexual activity.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the West Deer Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Monaca, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors and obstructing justice, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Nicholas Sittig, 28, pleaded guilty on January 30, 2025, to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2023 until in and around April 2024, Sittig employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor, who resided in California, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. In and around December 2023, when Sittig became aware that federal law enforcement officers were investigating him, Sittig induced the minor to aid him in destroying records and documents related to his sexual offenses against the minor—namely, his contact information within the minor’s cellular telephone and Snapchat messages between himself and the minor—with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation. The Court was further advised that agents with Homeland Security Investigations had identified a second minor, residing in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, whom Sittig similarly exploited online from December 2023 through March 2024.

Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 50 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the defendant remains detained.

Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (San Francisco and Pittsburgh), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the Monaca Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Sittig.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on January 30, 2025, to 25 years in prison for his conviction of sex trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Eric Jefferson, 41.

According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2019 to in and around April 2022, Jefferson coerced and forced at least four women to perform commercial sex work for his monetary gain. Jefferson provided the women with drugs for meeting clients and would withhold the drugs if the women—who were addicted to narcotics and could become ill with withdrawal symptoms—refused to meet with clients. Jefferson also used violence and threats of violence to coerce and force the women to engage in commercial sex work.

“Eric Jefferson forced these women to earn money on his behalf, controlling the victims both through physical force and exploiting their dependence upon narcotics,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively prosecute human traffickers such as Jefferson in order to protect and rescue the most vulnerable victims in our district.”

“Protecting the most vulnerable members of our community will always be among the highest priorities for the FBI,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The message this sentencing sends is clear: the FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue criminals who think they can prey on others.”

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ranjan heard from the victims of the charged crimes and stressed the heinousness of Jefferson’s conduct and its devastating impacts upon the victims.

Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr Moulton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jefferson.

This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Monessen, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Stefan Sweeney, 36.

According to information presented to the Court, Sweeney produced a video depicting the sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old girl.

In imposing the sentence, Judge Wiegand stated that a 20-year term of imprisonment reflected a balance between the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility and the serious nature of his crimes.

Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr Moulton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Kennedy Township Police Department; Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and other local police departments for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sweeney.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Note: View the complaint here and the proposed consent order here.

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Sugar Grove Township, Pennsylvania, and the Sugar Grove Area Sewage Authority (SUGASA), to resolve allegations that they violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by enacting and enforcing two ordinances against Old Order Amish residents: one mandating that certain households connect to the Township’s municipal sewage system, which requires the use of an electric grinder pump, and one banning privies on property intended for permanent residence. The lawsuit alleges that these acts substantially burdened Old Order Amish residents’ religious exercise, which restricts the use of electricity and requires adherents remain separate and apart from the modern world, and that the Township and SUGASA lacked a compelling reason for doing so.

“No one should have to choose between keeping their home or practicing their faith,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This office will continue to defend religious communities against zoning ordinances that penalize them for adhering to their religious beliefs.”

“The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act protects the rights of religious communities across the country, including the Old Order Amish, from the enforcement of land use rules that unreasonably burden their religious exercise,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is proud to support this longstanding Amish community’s religious rights.”

The proposed consent order, which was filed today in the Western District of Pennsylvania and must still be approved by the court, would resolve a lawsuit the United States also filed today alleging that Sugar Grove Township and SUGASA violated RLUIPA by enacting the connection ordinance over Old Order Amish religious objections, enforcing the ordinances against Old Order Amish residences, and imposing municipal liens and fines against Old Order Amish property owners because the property owners did not comply with the ordinances.

As part of the consent order, the Township and SUGASA will exempt certain Old Order Amish households from mandatory connection to the municipal sewage system, permit Old Order Amish residents to use privies on their private properties, and forgive any outstanding liens, fines, or other monetary penalties against Old Order Amish households for prior noncompliance with the two ordinances. The consent order also requires the Township and SUGASA to train its officials and employees on RLUIPA’s provisions, establish a procedure for receiving and resolving RLUIPA complaints, and provide reports to the United States.

RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.

Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or through the online RLUIPA complaint portal.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, and a resident of Florida, Puerto Rico, were sentenced in federal court for their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and related charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 17 individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio, indicted in March 2024 for violating federal narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws by conspiring to distribute cocaine throughout Western Pennsylvania and Youngstown (read the Indictment news release here).

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentences on Jean Sanchez Tulla, 38, of Puerto Rico, and Glenn Samuels, 33, of New Castle, sentencing Tulla to nine years of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and interstate travel or transmission in aid of racketeering, and Samuels to 37 months of prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine.

According to information presented to the Court, Tulla was a leading member of the organized drug trafficking group that shipped kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico, often mailing drug parcels through the U.S. Postal Service to co-conspirators responsible for selling the cocaine in Western Pennsylvania; Youngstown, Ohio; and elsewhere. Specifically, Tulla was responsible for possessing with intent to distribute and distributing between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine on behalf of and during the course of the conspiracy. He also traveled from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania—including at least 15 trips to Pittsburgh from 2023 to 2024—and elsewhere to facilitate and promote the drug trafficking enterprise, including to receive drug proceeds from other members of the organization.

Upon receipt of the shipped cocaine, leaders of the drug trafficking organization in Western Pennsylvania would distribute smaller quantities of the drugs to multiple co-conspirators, including Samuels, in order to maximize profits. Those co-conspirators then distributed the cocaine in New Castle, Ellwood City, and elsewhere in Lawrence County. At least 100 grams of cocaine was attributable to Samuels, who was found during the investigation to frequent the New Castle residence of the drug trafficking organization’s local leader for short durations, often multiple times a day.

Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service, as well as the New Castle Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and United States Department of Agriculture for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tulla and Samuels.

Lawrence County is one of six Western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Plum, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violations of federal drug trafficking and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Solomon Givens, 55, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture of para-fluorofentanyl and fentanyl, 100 grams or more of para-fluorofentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine. Givens also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on October 12, 2021, members of the DEA and Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team (DANET) executed a search warrant on an apartment used by Givens, who has 13 prior felony convictions. During the search, investigators recovered 1.5 kilograms of a mixture of para-fluorofentanyl and fentanyl, 399 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, 770 grams of methamphetamine, 746 grams of cocaine, 71 grams of crack cocaine, and drug packaging materials. Investigators also recovered eight firearms from the residence. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant remain in custody.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Allegheny County DANET unit conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Givens.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 200 months of imprisonment on his conviction of violating federal firearms and narcotics trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Giante Hilliard, 32, on January 27, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, Hilliard—who previously had been convicted of a number of felony offenses in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, including aggravated assault, possession of unlicensed firearms, and terroristic threats—was involved in an exchange of gunfire outside of a McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, bar on March 28, 2023. Video of the incident shows that, moments after Hilliard and another individual left the bar and started to drive off, a third person shot at the car they occupied. Hilliard returned fire from the vehicle’s passenger seat, with several muzzle flashes visible in the video. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

In a second incident, Hilliard was the passenger in a vehicle that law enforcement attempted to stop on May 8, 2023. Rather than complying, the driver rammed three law enforcement vehicles—allowing one of the officers to observe Hilliard with a black firearm—and sped off. Shortly after, law enforcement located the disabled vehicle abandoned near a convenience store. Nearby surveillance video showed the driver and Hilliard leaving the disabled vehicle together, and then splitting up, with Hilliard holding a black bag that he attempted to conceal under a dumpster. The black bag was recovered by law enforcement and found to contain a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun and approximately 300 doses of what laboratory results later confirmed was a heroin and fentanyl mixture. Ballistic testing of the handgun against nearly a dozen 40 caliber casings from the March 28 shooting determined the firearm to be a match with the one used by Hilliard in that earlier incident. Hilliard’s fingerprints were found both on the firearm ’s magazine and on some of the paper in which the narcotics were wrapped. The gun previously had been reported stolen. Based on evidence recovered in connection with this May 8 incident, including analysis of cell phones seized from within the disabled vehicle, the government obtained an arrest warrant for Hilliard.

In a third incident, on May 31, 2023, Hilliard posted on social media a video of himself with another firearm. Based on information from that video and other evidence gathered during the investigation, the government obtained a search warrant for a residence where Hilliard was hiding out and the vehicle that he had been seen driving. Law enforcement surrounded the house, but Hilliard refused to come out until several hours after officers fired multiple rounds of tear gas into the home. A subsequent search of the residence resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of controlled substances that laboratory testing later confirmed to be a heroin and fentanyl mixture. In the vehicle, investigators also discovered another loaded firearm—a “ghost gun” without a serial number.

Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Douglas C. Maloney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and numerous other police departments for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hilliard.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a violation of federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Paul Kirk, 29, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on August 22, 2023, Kirk fled from McKeesport Police officers during a traffic stop. Upon Kirk’s being taken into custody a short distance from the traffic stop, officers found a loaded handgun in the defendant’s pocket. Kirk has multiple previous felony convictions. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant remain in custody.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and McKeesport Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Kirk.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation on his conviction of use of unauthorized access devices, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Jonathan Fry, 44, on January 23, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, in April 2019, Fry obtained and used an elderly neighbor’s credit cards and personal identification information, including the neighbor’s date of birth and social security number, in order to make fraudulent and unauthorized transactions. This included obtaining a vehicle loan and insurance, opening accounts, and applying for other credit cards in the victim’s name, ultimately causing losses of more than $40,000.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fry.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Fords, New Jersey, has been sentenced to 77 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on charges of violating federal drug trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Ryan Mendoza, 32, on January 22, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, on February 25, 2021, employees of a hotel in Pittsburgh notified the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police that a backpack containing a substantial amount of drugs was located in a room previously occupied by Mendoza. Mendoza was taken into custody by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police when he reentered the hotel and attempted to access his former room. Mendoza admitted to possession of the recovered drugs, which later were determined to be heroin and fentanyl.

Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Mendoza.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Shane Hoover, 33, on January 22, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, from in and around November 2019 to June 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hoover conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Hoover was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hoover. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 76 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Walter Scott McMahon, 58, on January 22, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2019 to June 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, McMahon conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. McMahon was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the methamphetamine that he distributed to others.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McMahon. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Colombia has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Heyder Molina Prieto, 37, as the sole defendant. According to public records, Prieto was arrested on November 27, 2024, related to charges filed by the Monroeville Police Department and Upper St. Clair Police Department.

According to the Indictment, in November 2024, Prieto was found in this District after having been removed from the United States on or about June 20, 2020, and March 4, 2022.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 153 months of imprisonment on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and violations of federal supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Dirk Barfield Jr., 38.

According to information presented to the Court, Barfield was the subject of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police in September 2022. The investigation revealed that Barfield would travel from a Pittsburgh residence in his Maserati to distribute cocaine. On September 13, 2022, law enforcement executed search warrants upon Barfield and the Pittsburgh residence. When law enforcement announced their presence from outside the residence, Barfield threw bags of suspected controlled substances from a second floor window onto the yard. Law enforcement recovered the bags and made entry into the residence, where, following a waiver of his rights, Barfield admitted to throwing about two ounces of cocaine and one ounce of crack from the window.

At the time Barfield committed this crime, he was serving a term of federal supervised release related to his last drug trafficking conviction in the Western District of Pennsylvania, for which he had been sentenced to 151 months of imprisonment. While on federal supervised release, Barfield was also the subject of an attempted traffic stop, during which he drove over a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper’s foot and hit a pedestrian who was crossing a street in the South Side of Pittsburgh. The pedestrian required surgery to fix his broken bones.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Barfield.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Kenneth Gaines, 34, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on February 15, 2024, Gaines was found in possession of a stolen firearm and firearm magazine. Gaines previously had been convicted of multiple felony offenses, and was on federal supervised release at the time of this offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Ball and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gaines.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 36 months of imprisonment on his conviction of violating federal sex offender registration laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Terry Bonner, 30, on January 16, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, Bonner previously pleaded guilty and was convicted of First Degree Criminal Sexual Abuse while living in the State of Alabama, resulting in a requirement for Bonner to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). As part of his guilty plea in that case, Bonner was notified that he was required to register as a sex offender in the jurisdiction in which he resides.

Bonner moved to Pennsylvania and lived in the City of Pittsburgh between December 2022 and April 2023. During that period, Bonner failed to take any steps to update his registration with local law enforcement officials as required for a sex offender under SORNA. Court records in Alabama showed that Bonner also had been convicted multiple times for failing to register in that state.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that Bonner’s conduct was particularly serious because of his lengthy criminal history, history of violence, and repeated willful disregard for his registration requirements. Judge Hardy stated that SORNA requirements exist to keep communities safe from violent sex offenders with histories like Bonner’s, and that he hoped that a sentence of 36 months in federal prison would finally impress upon Bonner, and all sex offenders subject to SORNA, that they must take their obligation to register seriously or face severe consequences.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin C. Dobkin prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Marshals Service and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bonner.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 135 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Willie Blair Jr., 43, on January 14, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, in early October 2022, Blair possessed with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, in addition to attempting to possess with intent to distribute more than two kilograms of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. He also possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

After being led to Blair’s residence through a suspicious United States Postal Service parcel containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine that was addressed to the residence, law enforcement executed a search warrant upon the home and Blair’s vehicle, recovering a total of approximately 1,262.8 grams of fentanyl as well as a kilogram press and packaging and cutting material consistent with drug trafficking. In the main bedroom, law enforcement also found a loaded Glock pistol and various ammunition. Blair admitted that the fentanyl, drug trafficking tools, and pistol and ammunition all belonged to him and to being a multi-kilogram distributor of fentanyl and heroin, as well as to attempting to possess with intent to distribute the cocaine seized from the USPS parcel. Blair had several previous felony convictions for controlled substances, including a federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.

Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Blair.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 108 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on James Pearcy, 60.

According to information presented to the Court, from in and around January 2021 to in and around June 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pearcy conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Pearcy was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of cocaine that he distributed to others.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Pearcy. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Jennifer Quick, 50, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to Count Two of a Superseding Indictment and Counts One and Two of an Indictment.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around October 2019 to January 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Quick conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Quick was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of methamphetamine that she distributed to others. Further, from in and around February 2023 to March 2023, Quick conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2025. On Count Two of the Superseding Indictment, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. On Counts One and Two of the Indictment, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Quick. Additional agencies participating in this investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office; Erie County District Attorney’s Office; Millcreek Police Department; Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Two residents of Brentwood, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and were sentenced in federal court on January 15, 2025, on charges of making false statements on a loan application, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Husband and wife Brennan and Angela McNally each pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer to one count of making a false statement on a loan application. In separate sentencing hearings, Judge Fischer ordered each defendant to spend a day in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. Additionally, both defendants were ordered to pay restitution to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the amount of $26,251.

In connection with the guilty pleas and sentencings, the Court was advised that Brennan, 43, and Angela, 43, each made false statements and representations pertaining to Angela’s residential loan application, specifically, regarding Angela’s employment status and income. Both defendants made these false statements knowingly and for the purpose of influencing the mortgage lending business’s action on the loan application.

In sentencing each defendant, Judge Fischer noted the serious nature of the federal felony offense and the harm that such criminal conduct has on the lender and mortgage industry.

“When the McNallys lied so that they could get a federally funded loan, they put themselves above the worthy and qualified applicants for whom the funds were intended,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “We appreciate the work of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General in this case and will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to stamp out financial fraud wherever we find it.”

“The defendants engaged in an egregious scheme to misrepresent the spouse’s employment, falsely claiming she was a federal employee to take advantage of a HUD-insured mortgage program designed to assist hard-working individuals realize the American dream of homeownership,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. “No one is above the law and our office will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate individuals who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.”

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Brennan and Angela McNally.
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 216 months of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Frank McClellan, 55, on January 14, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, between March 2021 and September 2021, McClellan conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as 280 grams or more of cocaine base.

Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, McKeesport Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Penn Hills Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McClellan.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Jessica Wilson, 39, pleaded guilty to Count One of two separate Superseding Indictments before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on January 14, 2025.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around January 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack, and methamphetamine. Wilson was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that she distributed to others. Further, from in and around April 2024 to June 2024, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of mixtures and substances containing fentanyl and crack cocaine.

Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2025. At each count, the law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Arnold P. Bernard Jr. are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wilson. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Guatemala pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served and ordered removed from the United States, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Josue Raul Ascon-Morales, 26.

According to information presented to the Court, Ascon-Morales was previously removed from the United States in March 2008. On September 1, 2024, the Moon Township Police Department encountered Ascon-Morales in the Western District of Pennsylvania secondary to a traffic stop. Law enforcement determined that Ascon-Morales was unlawfully present in the United States, and he was taken into custody by immigration authorities on October 22, 2024. He admitted to unlawfully entering the United States in April 2018, and was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 19, 2024.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ascon-Morales.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Glassport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 14, 2025, to a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Rashee Beasley, 33, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Beasley, who has been convicted of multiple felony offenses, was found in possession of a loaded and stolen firearm on October 27, 2022. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Monroeville Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Beasley.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today that he will resign his position, effective 11:59 p.m. on January 19, 2025.

“The dedicated public servants who walk the halls of our office are second to none in their clear-eyed and even-handed commitment to pursuing justice on behalf of the more than three million people who call the Western District of Pennsylvania home,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Serving alongside this team of career civil servants—prosecutors, civil litigators, and professional staff alike—has been the privilege of my career. I am grateful to President Biden, Senator John Fetterman, and former Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey for their trust and faith in my ability to lead the office. I will always treasure the 17 years I have devoted to representing the United States and working to defend and uphold the rule of law on behalf of the Department of Justice and the American people.”

During Olshan’s tenure as U.S. Attorney, the office continued its steadfast efforts to tackle violent crime and the most serious narcotics offenses, focusing on large-scale drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and the offenders who drive violence in western Pennsylvania. Working side by side with dedicated federal, state, and local law enforcement partners throughout the district, the office brought charges against: 24 members and associates of the “Drizzy” street gang for cocaine trafficking (Pittsburgh); eight members and associates of the “Zhoove” street gang for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking (Pittsburgh); 19 defendants involved in an interstate DTO trafficking fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone (New Castle); 35 members and associates of a cross-country and transnational DTO trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (Johnstown area); 13 defendants involved in a DTO trafficking methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine (Altoona area); and 26 regional drug dealers trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine (Erie).

Driving down the illicit sale and use of firearms likewise remained a priority, with the office securing convictions of three defendants, including a former police officer, who built and sold so-called “hit kits” containing untraceable privately made firearms (“ghost guns”), silencers, subsonic ammunition, and latex gloves. The office also brought charges against several extremely violent offenders, including an alleged methamphetamine dealer who orchestrated a targeted bombing resulting in the death of a woman who owed him a drug debt; an alleged fentanyl and heroin dealer who discharged a Glock equipped with a machinegun conversion device while fleeing from the police; a violent drug offender who allegedly shot at and attempted to kill a DEA agent; and a violent recidivist offender who allegedly committed multiple armed carjackings and robberies of Pittsburgh-area businesses. Notably, after experiencing a steady increase in homicides beginning in 2019, Pittsburgh—the district’s largest municipality—has seen more than a 40% decrease in homicides since 2022. Non-fatal shootings in the city similarly have dropped by more than 50% over the last three years after a four-year increase starting in 2018.

Under Olshan’s leadership, the office focused on offenders who preyed upon the most vulnerable members of our communities. On the white collar front, prosecutors brought charges against the alleged perpetrators of a multi-million-dollar international “lottery” scam targeting the elderly, as well as a far-reaching “bail bond” scam, securing convictions and significant sentences against multiple co-conspirators and successfully extraditing the alleged masterminds from Panama. The office also continued its impressive track record of obtaining substantial justice for child victims, including cases against a defendant who engaged in the sextortion of multiple children (30 years in prison); a defendant who used the dark web to distribute child sexual abuse material (25 years); a Florida resident who transported and sexually exploited a child from Erie (20 years); a Pennsylvania State Trooper who surreptitiously recorded children (23 years); and a defendant who created “morphed” sexually explicit images of child actors (14 years).

During Olshan’s tenure, the office strengthened its position at the forefront of complex cyber enforcement, working with domestic and international law enforcement partners to disrupt a Russia-based criminal enterprise through the seizure of web domains used to create more than 40,000 spoofed websites and store the personal information of more than a million victims. The office also coordinated a court-authorized operation that disrupted a worldwide botnet operated by Chinese state-sponsored hackers and shut down the illicit Rydox online marketplace where cyber criminals had access to over 300,000 cybercrime tools.

The office further demonstrated its ongoing commitment to combatting the threat of domestic and international terrorism, obtaining convictions against two defendants who violently obstructed law enforcement during a protest on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh and bringing terrorism charges against an Upper St. Clair resident who traveled to Lebanon and Syria with a “master plan . . . to join Hezbollah and kill Jews.”

Under Olshan’s leadership, the office cemented its reputation as a national leader in hate crime enforcement, including through the completion of a groundbreaking prosecution of two co-conspirators who committed violent assaults against over a dozen severely disabled residents at a Beaver County long-term care facility. The office also brought hate crime charges against two defendants, including a self-avowed Hamas adherent, who allegedly vandalized Jewish property in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

Moreover, Olshan’s tenure saw the successful conclusion of the prosecution of the worst antisemitic mass shooting in United States history, resulting in the deaths of 11 Jewish worshippers from three congregations at the Tree of Life Synagogue on October 27, 2018.

“This investigation and prosecution will forever be a part of the fabric of our office,” U.S. Attorney Olshan said. “There is no greater honor as a prosecutor than securing justice for crime victims, and I will always be grateful for the faith and trust of the victim community in this case. It was a gift our team of prosecutors, investigators, and victim-support staff worked each day to earn, and it sustained us throughout the years-long litigation.”

Olshan also worked with office colleagues and law enforcement partners to enhance community outreach efforts around the district, including through participation in numerous United Against Hate educational programs, the Take Back the Night march at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, National Night Out police-community engagement events, Shon Owens Unity Week events in Beaver County, a “Bigs in Blue” event through Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pride events, and the Allegheny County Anchored Reentry Annual Summit, which the office co-hosted. During Olshan’s tenure, the office coordinated multiple trainings for federal, state, and local law enforcement, including programs on strategic subject interviewing techniques, criminal use of artificial intelligence, criminal intelligence analytics, and First Amendment-protected activity.

The office’s Civil Division additionally saw significant results in cases across multiple areas of enforcement under Olshan’s leadership. For example, the office filed a complaint against a nationwide insurer and its subsidiaries for falsely placing auto insurance on hundreds of thousands of car buyers; secured a $6.5 million False Claims Act judgment against a telecommunications company related to violations of an FCC subsidy program; entered into a consent decree with the Allegheny County Jail to ensure that inmates received prescribed medications for opioid use disorder under the Americans with Disabilities Act; obtained an injunction prohibiting Philips Respironics from manufacturing and distributing faulty sleep and respiratory devices; and resolved Clean Air Act claims against two oil and natural gas producers for over $5 million.

The office’s affirmative civil enforcement, financial litigation, and asset forfeiture staff likewise continued to set the standard in financial recoveries, collecting more than $120 million in civil, criminal, and forfeiture actions in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.

Upon Olshan’s resignation and pursuant to the Vacancies Reform Act, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti, who has served the office for over 27 years, will become the Acting United States Attorney. Rivetti previously served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the office prior to Olshan’s confirmation.

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U.S. Attorney Olshan joined the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., through the Attorney General’s Honors Program in 2007 and spent a decade prosecuting public corruption offenses in federal courts around the country as a Trial Attorney and Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. Olshan became an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania in 2017, and, prior to assuming his position as U.S. Attorney, most recently served as the Chief of the Economic, Cyber, and National Security Crimes Section. During his time in the office, Olshan also served as the Civil Rights Coordinator, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, Public Corruption Coordinator, Environmental Crime Coordinator, and District Election Officer.

Olshan was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on March 21, 2023, and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on June 8, 2023. As U.S. Attorney, he oversaw an office of approximately 130 prosecutors, civil litigators, and professional staff in three offices—Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnstown. During his tenure, Olshan served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC), a select group of U.S. Attorneys who advise the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management. Olshan was also a member of the AGAC’s White Collar Fraud, Terrorism and National Security, Civil Rights, and Environmental Justice subcommittees.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of El Salvador pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Jose Humberto Diaz-Tobar, 41.

According to information presented to the Court, on February 1, 2024, the Allegheny County Police Department encountered Diaz-Tobar following a traffic accident. Law enforcement determined that Diaz-Tobar was unlawfully present in the United States after being previously removed from the country in October 2012, when he admitted to immigration officials that he crossed the Rio Grande River near Hidalgo, Texas, and was not inspected by an immigration officer. Diaz-Tobar was taken into custody by immigration authorities for his latest offense on July 24, 2024, and was in federal custody for nearly six months prior to his sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Diaz-Tobar.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Two residents of Altoona, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of narcotics trafficking related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Tonya Settlemyer, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, while Andrew Stowell, 67, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Both pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

In connection with the guilty pleas, the Court was advised that Stowell sold a quantity of methamphetamine to an undercover officer on December 12, 2022. The Court was also advised that Settlemyer assisted an Altoona-based narcotics dealer who distributed large quantities of methamphetamine to various individuals throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for both defendants for May 15, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1 million, or both for Settlemyer and not less than 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both for Stowell. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The Court ordered that Settlemyer remain detained and Stowell remain on bond pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of the case, which also included the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Youngstown, Ohio, has been sentenced in federal court to 45 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and distributing fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on William McCree, 21, also ordering McCree to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that McCree was responsible for trafficking 35 grams of fentanyl, five grams of fluorofentanyl, 50 grams of cocaine, and 30 grams of methamphetamine between May 2021 and October 2022. McCree was on bond with a pending state drug trafficking charge in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, during part of that time period.

Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McCree.