“SCO” Gang Member Sentenced on Drug Trafficking Charges

 PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Braddock, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to nine years’ imprisonment and four years supervised release on his conviction of narcotics trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Jaymare Jackson, age 30.

According to information presented to the court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking occurring in and around the Braddock section of Pittsburgh. Jackson and other individuals were identified as members and/or associates of a neighborhood based street gang, self-titled "SCO", which illegally distributed controlled substances in the Greater Pittsburgh Region..

In January of 2019, investigators obtained authorization to conduct a federal wire investigation, which continued through May of 2019. Jackson, along with 33 others were indicted in June of 2019 by a federal grand jury in three separate, but related, Indictments.

The Court was informed that Jackson is a member of SCO and, based upon intercepted communications occurring over telephones that were intercepted, law enforcement confirmed that Jackson was a heroin and cocaine base distributor. The Court was also advised that on June 12, 2019, Jackson illegally possessed two firearms as well as items used to package and distribute controlled substances. Mr. Jackson acknowledged that he knew, at that time, that he could not possess the firearms after having been previously convicted of carrying a firearm without a license. Federal law prohibits anyone who has previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, to possess a firearm or ammunition.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the multi-agency team, which was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jackson. Partners in this investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.

Other assisting agencies included the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.

This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, known as OCDETF. OCDETF was established in 1982 to support comprehensive investigations and prosecutions of major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the drug reduction strategy of the Department of Justice. By combining the resources and expertise of federal agencies and their state and local law enforcement partners, OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations.