Indicted drug ‘counselor’ to admit to dealing, tax crimes
A purported drug counselor in McKees Rocks under indictment for dealing heroin and fentanyl that injured users and filing bogus tax returns for other people has indicated he will admit his crimes next month.
David Francis, 69, filed notice Friday that he will plead guilty by video conference on July 1 before U.S. District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
Francis, a felon who founded Next Step Foundation, faces decades in prison.
He was initially charged in 2017 with conspiracy to sell heroin, distribution of fentanyl resulting in injury and other counts connected to what the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said was a major drug business operating out of Next Step.
The DEA and police said Francis was a drug dealer posing as a “drug counselor” and contributing to the opioid crisis across the region.
He also ran a side tax preparation business next door, All Personal Matters, which agents said was a criminal enterprise and staffed by addicts who were paid in drugs for their work.
This week, the U.S. attorney’s office filed a new complaint against Francis in relation to that business, saying he prepared bogus business tax returns for five individuals.
Francis indicated he will waive indictment in that case and plead guilty.
His lawyer, Casey White, said he didn’t want to discuss the deals for fear of jeopardizing them.
“It has been a very long 33 months for Mr. Francis, and I do not want to compromise our efforts and publicly discuss the proposed agreement prior to Judge Conti’s review,” he said Friday.
Francis has been locked up for more than two years and will remain there.
He was one of many federal detainees who has asked to be released because of COVID-19 concerns, but Judge Conti rejected his request.
DEA said Francis was supplied by two New York cousins, Pedro and William Rosario, who were both convicted.
Francis’ alleged drug operation became apparent when police responding to overdoses in 2016 and 2017 heard users repeatedly name Francis as their source.