Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty in Cocaine Trafficking Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 25, 2011 |
PITTSBURGH—A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotic laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
Michael Lucerne, 32, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from January 2009, to Dec. 15, 2009, Lucerne conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Judge McVerry scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Pittsburgh Division of Weed and Seed; the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lucerne.