Pittsburgh Heroin Dealer Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years’ Imprisonment

PITTSBURGH – A former resident of Pittsburgh, PA has been sentenced in federal court to four years and nine months in prison, followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Court Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Anthony Ptomey, 26, on one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to information presented to the court, on April 17, 2017, investigators observed Ptomey enter a home, leave after a short amount of time, and enter a vehicle. When Ptomey left the home, he was making suspicious movements in his crotch area and continually re-adjusting his pants in the waistband area. Investigators subsequently stopped the vehicle Ptomey was in and saw Ptomey, who was in the front driver’s seat, reaching back and pulling a diaper bag into the front of the car.

Officers ultimately recovered seven bricks of heroin from Ptomey’s crotch region. After the driver and owner of the vehicle consented to a search of the car, officers recovered eight more bricks of heroin from the diaper bag. Ptomey later admitted that in March and April of 2017, he would receive 10 – 15 bricks of heroin twice a week, every week from a supplier and then redistribute that heroin.

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Western District of Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Anthony Ptomey. This Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local Task Force Officers, including officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Department, Allegheny County Police, Port Authority Police, Munhall Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.