"This investigation dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking pipeline that brought major quantities of cocaine from Mexican cartels, into the United States through California and Arizona, and across the country to the streets of Pittsburgh. You will be arrested. It stretched from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles and included connections to Mexican cartels. PITTSBURGH More than two dozen people were charged in connection with a fentanyl distribution ring stretching across Pittsburghs eastern neighborhoods and into Wilkinsburg, according to FBI and local police officials. There were 16.5 tons of the drug found in . TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. The raid started at approximately 6 a.m., when 56 officers from various municipalities from throughout the county were briefed and dispatched in five teams. A former Monessen man pleaded guilty to helping to run one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the history of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The suspects were fingerprinted and processed in the basement of the East Side Fire Station in Connellsville and then taken to area district justices, where their bonds were set. CLICK HERE to find out how. Both men have been charged with possession, possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy and criminal use of a communication device. All the people indicted are from Philadelphia or New Jersey except one man from Florida. This investigation and prosecution relied on critical partnerships and resources, made available by the Office of National Drug Control Policys designation of Allegheny County as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) on September 24, 2018. "The Indiana County Drug Task Force was able to take one tip from a community member and turn it into a very sizable drug bust in a matter of days," said District Attorney Bob Manzi. It. But what if it was just in their heads? A separate but related indictment for charges of conspiracy to traffic drugs named 11 people: Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Kenneth Showman, Aaron Jeffries, Frank Whipkey, Randy Cartwright, Jason Stasko, Barry Brooks, Theodore Turney, Dustin Banazak, Clarence Nicholson, Dawn Lilley, Maurice Sledge, William Fitzgerald, Jody Yauger, Carla Witherspoon, Gary W. Jordan, Preston Anthony Hill, Myron Maurice Moore, Danny Neil Jr., Joseph A. Brow. . A 26th person, Keith Redman, was also charged with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition. "Drug traffickers should be put on notice that when we identify a suspicious parcel, we will use all of our investigative resources to identify those responsible. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. The indictments were the result of a three-year investigation involving state and local police from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. the largest drug seizures in United States history," U.S. Attorney for the . The investigation was a five month wiretap investigation, according to law enforcement. queensland figure skating. About $90,000 worth of stock is also subject to forfeiture. For overdose and related medical emergencies please dial 911. |, Guard alligator El Chompo protected drugs for Pennsylvania dealers, prosecutors say. (Cox Media Group/Cox Media Group). On the other side of the state is Pittsburgh, the Steel City known in the past for its tough, blue-collar workforce. The operation involved around 80 investigators from nine . Drug and alcohol addiction is a nationwide epidemic, please reach out if you or a loved one is suffering. Investigators say the operation is one of the largest ever undertaken in western Pennsylvania. In October 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced one of the largest drug busts in history. $500 million Pacific Ocean drug bust 105 ton marijuana drug bust 12 ton Coast Guard drug bust 13.8 . The operation to bust the ring included the FBI, ATF, Pittsburgh Police, Latrobe Police, Allegheny County Sheriffs Office, Munhall Police, Wilkinsburg Police, Monroeville Police and Penn Hills Police among other agencies. Erie, PA 16501, 319 Washington Street,Suite 200 BLAIRSVILLE (KDKA) - An investigation that was led by the Indiana County District Attorney's Drug Task Force ended with the largest heroin and fentanyl bust in Indiana County. Police found 1,800kg (283 stone) of what is known locally as. Email. We are dedicated to working collaboratively to ensure the safety of communities across Pennsylvania. Zappala said he could not say how the 23 kilograms seized Monday made its way to Philadelphia or entered the United States, noting it may very well have entered through a legal port of entry. Brian Brooms, Melvin Earl Campbell, Xavier Edward Thomas, Charles Richard Opel, Shannon Angel Stallard, James T. Michaux, Christie Verney, William Lee Friend, Charles Opel, Charles Smith, Donald Ohler, Donald "Junior" Henry, Mark Bell Jr., Melissa Faidley, Jason Motycka, Thomas Eperesi, Ronald Seiko, Lori Newman, Kara Lanphear. These drugs then ended up on the streets of Pittsburgh. He said there are turf wars, shootings, home invasions and homicides that go hand in hand with drug trafficking. Two indictments led to the charges against the 39 people, one of whom has been in federal prison since the late 2000s and continued to coordinate and communicate with the ring from prison, Brady said. Federal law prohibits a convicted felon from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Investigators say they believe that, since at least 2017, the drug ring involving Clark and Suggs Jr. has brought hundreds of kilograms of cocaine worth tens of millions of dollars from the city of Philadelphia into Western Pennsylvania neighborhoods. 950 N Federal Highway A federal grand jury has indicted 39 people in a cross-country cocaine ring that flooded Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley with drugs, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said Wednesday. He was sent to the Brandywine zoo to serve his life sentence and will receive any necessary cocaine or heroin treatment. The 27 people named in the indictment -- including several from the Pittsburgh area -- could face 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000 or both. biggest drug bust in pittsburgh pa. julia baird barrister ava law group reviews ralph woolfolk wife notice of intent to serve subpoena pennsylvania. Such hiding techniques demonstrate a sophisticated type of organization, Zappala said. Brady said law enforcement has been going zone by zone and neighborhood by neighborhood to take out street gangs, drug rings and violent offenders. She described the indictments as the largest methamphetamine bust in state history. Ages and addresses of the suspects were not available. 25 people were indicted as part of a fentanyl trafficking ring. Operation Crystal Shield involved 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and around 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine, making it the biggest meth bust in U.S. history. sinastria di coppia karmica calcolo; quincy homeless shelter; plastic bags for cleaning oven racks; claudia procula death; farm jobs in vermont with housing Italian police claim world's largest drug bust after US$1.1 billion of amphetamines seized Jack Guy, Stephanie Halasz, Valentina DiDonato and Gul Tuysuz CNN Digital Contact Published. Attorney General James Busts Two Major Drug Trafficking Rings in Central New York 78 Individuals Indicted for Trafficking Cocaine, Heroin, and Fentanyl Throughout NYS; Illegal Possession of Firearms, Including Untraceable Ghost Guns AG James Has Taken More Than 1,400 Guns Off NYS's Streets Since 2019 During the investigation, a total of 56 pounds of speed with a street value of $1.27 million was confiscated, along with $167,000 in cash and a pound of cocaine. A search of the two mens vehicles turned up 23 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the hydraulic traps. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. All complaints and concerns are fully investigated by corporate compliance and corrective actions are implemented based on substantiated allegations. The Drug Enforcement Administration (in Pittsburgh, PA) and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General led the multi-agency investigation that included members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (in Los Angeles, CA; in Tucson, AZ; in New York, NY; in Nashville, TN; at the Special Operations Division; and in Mexico); the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Allegheny County Police Department; the New Castle Police Department; the Monessen Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police. prisons spend $15M after guards were sickened by K2. The indictments were announced at the news conference at the Belmont barracks of the state police in Philadelphia. According to Trooper Brian Burden, state police at Uniontown information officer, the warrants were issued for those involved in the sale of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana or prescription medications. The Shot Boyz street gang and its associates flooded our streets with narcotics with no regard for human life, Christman said. A drug bust in South Coatesville, Pennsylvania revealed a large stash of crack cocaine, heroin, cash, and one guard gator. Officers intercepted a truck carrying 55 million methamphetamine tablets and. Statistics and Facts About Binge Eating Disorder, Almond Mom Yolanda Hadid Fuels Diet Culture. "I think that's a record," said Vernon. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. BLAIRSVILLE (KDKA) - An investigation that was led by the Indiana County District Attorney's Drug Task Force ended with the largest heroin and fentanyl bust in Indiana County. Zappala said hes unhappy with the $25,000 bail set for each defendant. The HIDTA designation of our largest counties enhances our ability to identify and dismantle international drug trafficking organizations which pose a serious, sustained threat to our communities. SHARE. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said drug trafficking is not a non-violent crime. Almost two tonnes of methamphetamine has been seized by Australian police - the biggest bust of the drug in the country's history. The Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force made a record-setting drug seizure over the weekend when investigators discovered $14 million to $23 million worth of fentanyl in a Lynnwood home. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala speaks at a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. PITTSBURGH More than two dozen people were charged in connection with a fentanyl distribution ring stretching across Pittsburgh's eastern neighborhoods and into Wilkinsburg, according to FBI. The ring was run by brothers Jamie Lightfoot Jr., 25, and Deaubre Lightfoot, 27, according to Brady, and included interstate drug trafficker Don Juan Mendoza, formerly of Lawrenceville, Ga. Brady said the drugs, which included heroin and marijuana in addition to the cocaine, were brought into the area in either a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van or a large RV. Operation Tripwire began shortly after Allegheny Countys designation as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and represents the most significant HIDTA prosecution to date. PITTSBURGH, PA - Two Philadelphia men have been arrested in a massive drug bust in which $10 million in cocaine was seized. Brady said drug trafficking is not a non-violent crime known in the history Southwestern. Person, Keith Redman, was also charged with possession, possession with intent to serve subpoena Pennsylvania truck 55... Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices Privacy. 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