Lightfoot Drug Trafficking Organization Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Narcotics Charges

PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Charleroi, PA, has pleaded guilty to federal narcotics charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Anthony Crews, age 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute cocaine before Chief United States District Court Judge Mark R. Hornak. Crews is the 27th defendant to plead guilty in connection with this case.

According to information presented to the court, from January 2017 to November 5, 2017, Anthony Crews conspired with members of the Lightfoot DTO in order to acquire large quantities of cocaine. Crews would receive the cocaine directly from members of the DTO and then would re-package the cocaine and distribute it to other drug customers and co-conspirators in Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Allegheny Counties.

The law provides for a maximum sentence of 30 years and/or a fine of not more than $2,000,000. 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. Defendant is expected to receive an 8 year sentence at the time of sentencing scheduled for

Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Lanni and Shaun Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the South Strabane Police Department, the Elizabeth Borough Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department and the Perryopolis Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case.

The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.