Twelve Charged with Conspiring to Distribute Street Drugs
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 17, 2013 |
PITTSBURGH—Eleven Pennsylvania residents and a resident of Brooklyn, New York, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics trafficking and firearm laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The five-count indictment, returned on October 15, 2013, and unsealed today charges:
- Neil Thomas, 29, of Imperial, Pennsylvania
- Marcus Battles, 27, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Luis Colon, 30, of Brooklyn, New York
- Gabriel Garcia, 24, of Carnegie, Pennsylvania
- Christopher Greene, 30, of Leetsdale, Pennsylvania
- Stephanie Goehring, 26, of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
- Ryan Hutchinson, 28, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
- William Krszal, 22, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
- Phillip Lacher, 25, of Conway, Pennsylvania
- Colin Mitchell, 28, of Sewickley, Pennsylvania
- Dustin Petry, 26, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Kailen Young, 28, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
According to the indictment, between January 2013 and October 2013, the defendants (except for Krszal and Lacher) conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; Garcia and Petry possessed firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and distributed heroin or possessed heroin with intent to distribute it; and Thomas, Greene, Krszal, and Lacher conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (also known as MDMA or “molly”) and methamphetamine. The indictment seeks forfeiture of the proceeds of the crimes as well as property acquired with the proceeds and property used to commit the crimes, including Thomas’s 2008 Can Am motorcycle and Goehring’s 2008 Pontiac car.
The law provides for maximum total sentences ranging from up to 20 years to up to life in prison, as well as mandatory minimum sentences starting at five years in prison. Fines ranging from $1,000,000 to up to $8,000,000 may also be imposed. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal histories, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office led the multi-agency investigation of this case that also included the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Moon Township Police Department; the North Fayette Police Department; the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; the McKees Rocks Police Department; the Cranberry Township Police Department; the McKeesport Police Department; and the Wilkinsburg Police Department.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.