Rehab Operator Sentenced to 10 Years for Heroin Trafficking and Tax Fraud

 PITTSBURGH - A resident of McKees Rocks, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years’ imprisonment on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute heroin and aiding in the preparation of false income tax returns, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on David Francis, age 69. 

According to information presented to the court, Francis was the owner and operator of Next Step Recovery Housing, LLC, a purported drug rehabilitation center, located in McKees Rocks, PA. While operating Next Step Recovery Housing, the defendant also conspired to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin with suppliers from New York City, codefendants William Rosario and Jose Ortega, from November 2016 through February 2017. Francis redistributed the heroin that he obtained from Rosario and Ortega to his own customers, many of whom were current or former clients of Next Step Recovery Housing. During the same timeframe, Francis was also the owner and operator of All Personal Matters, an income tax return preparation business. Through All Personal Matters, Francis aided in the preparation and filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns on behalf of clients of All Personal Matters, resulting in a loss to the Internal Revenue Service of $1,681,607.54. Francis funded the heroin trafficking operations, in part, through the money he unlawfully obtained through the scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti stated that the sentence satisfied the goals of punishment, rehabilitation and deterrence.

Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Brady commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Monroeville Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Ingram Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, and Monaca Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Francis.