Federal grand jury indicts 26 alleged gang members on drug charges
A federal grand jury indicted 26 people from Western Pennsylvania on narcotics trafficking and firearms violations after a five-month investigation, the U.S. attorney announced Friday.
The indictments from an investigation into a street gang called Shot Boyz following a number incidents, including drug trafficking and violence around Wilkinsburg and Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood.
The 17-page indictment says the defendants “conspired to possess with intent to distribute and deliver” at least 400 grams of fentanyl between March 2019 and August.
“Every family in Pittsburgh deserves to live, work and raise their children in a community free from violence,” U.S. Attorney Scott Brady wrote in a release.
“My promise is the same today as it was on day one: If you’re a drug dealer or you’re a gang member, go back to Philadelphia, go back to Detroit,” Mr. Brady said at a news conference Friday. “Get out of our community, because we know who you are, and we are coming after you.”
None of the people indicted were from those cities, but Mr. Brady said he mentioned those cities because they are “source cities” for drugs. Mr. Brady did not say where the Shot Boyz were sourcing their drugs, but he said it was common to see drugs come from those cities in similar investigations.
The vast majority of people indicted were from Pittsburgh and the East End.
The 26 people indicted by the grand jury were:
• Tyric Allen, 25, of Pittsburgh
• Phillip Ahmad-Revis, 20, of Pittsburgh
• Djuan Beasley, 20, of Swissvale
• Marcus Best, 27, of Munhall
• Davon Cleveland, 20, of Pittsburgh
• Donshae Dunning, 32, of McKeesport
• Dominic Fields, 33, of McKeesport
• Donald Hantz, 37, of Latrobe
• Taire Hardman, 20, of Wilkinsburg
• Natrell Jeffries, 21, of Wilkinsburg
• Mandee Kozar, 34, of Latrobe
• Seth Lindsey, 26, of Verona
• Davon Loveings, 29, of Pittsburgh
• Bryan Matthews, 31, of Penn Hills
• Tayvon Mattox, 20, of Pittsburgh
• Barbara McCluere, 46, of Latrobe
• Jerome Pleasant-Simpson, 25, of Pittsburgh
• Parris Scott, 20, of Pittsburgh
• Nikki Sherback, 35, of Latrobe
• Robert Smiley, 30, of Pittsburgh
• Patrick Smith, 36, of Latrobe
• Jeffrey Tumer, 29, of Monroeville
• Garrett Weaver, 38, of Monroeville
• Jeremy Winfield, 25, of Pittsburgh
• Marquille Wright, 25, of Munhall
The indictment names the defendants as members and associates of a group with the names Shot Boyz, Drive Boyz or OTS. The maximum punishment for each could be life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million or both.
The Shot Boyz distributed fentanyl in Pittsburgh, the East Hills, Homewood and Wilkinsburg, the indictment reads. Associates also distributed the drug in Latrobe.
The investigation was conducted with several offices, including the U.S. Attorney; the FBI; the Pittsburgh, Latrobe and Wilkinsburg police departments; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The indictment states that Tyric Allen, Phillip AhmadRevis and Davon Loveings face additional drug trafficking charges. Allen and Loveings also face firearms charges and are accused of illegally possessing Smith and Wesson M&P .40 caliber and Glock .20 caliber handguns, respectively.
These weapons were used to further the drug trafficking crimes, the indictment alleges.
Mr. Brady compared the Shot Boyz to the Greenway Boy Killas gang, which was based in the West End. Leaders of that gang pleaded guilty to several drug crimes related to heroin and fentanyl.
Investigators used wiretaps to identify members of the Shot Boyz.
Mr. Brady connected the gang to a number of violent incidents that occurred this year in the Homewood and East Hills area, including homicides, aggravated assaults and dozens of reports of shots fired. The indictment did not make clear how the defendants were connected to those crimes.
The case was part of a wider program called the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, which was established in 1982 to investigate drug trafficking and money laundering.
“The people of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania deserve to live in drug-free and violence-free neighborhoods,” Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert said. “This coordinated effort between ATF and our partner demonstrates our continued dedication to identify, target and investigate violent criminals who lessen the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”
In a statement, Latrobe police Chief John Sleasman wrote that the amount of heroin and fentanyl coming into Westmoreland County will be “dramatically reduced” due to the investigation.
A second indictment unsealed Friday charged Keith Redman, 22, of Braddock, with one county of possessing a firearm. Mr. Brady did not say how this fit into the indictment against the Shot Boyz and their associates.