Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Pittsburgh Man Charged with Trafficking Cocaine



PITTSBURGH – A former resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of trafficking cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count indictment, returned on February 20, named Johnny Lee Jones, 46, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, on March 13, 2017, Jones knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bethel Park Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

No comments: