Member of Lightfoot Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to Distributing Large Quantities of Cocaine

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

Edward Alford II, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine in front of United States District Court Judge Mark R. Hornak.

According to information presented to the court, from January 2015 to November 2017, Alford conspired with others to import large quantities of cocaine and marijuana into Western Pennsylvania. Once the narcotics were in Western Pennsylvania, Alford would then resell large quantities of cocaine to customers in Allegheny, Westmoreland and Washington Counties.

The law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 10 years in prison and a maximum of life and/or a fine of not more than $10,000,000. 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.

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.