19 people indicted for massive drug operation between PA, MI, OH

PITTSBURGH, Pa. ( WJET/WFXP ) — Federal prosecutors announced they’ve indicted 19 people from western Pennsylvania, Michigan and another from Ohio for a sizeable multi-state drug operation.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of PA announced the one-count indictment on Aug. 1 accusing all 19 of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin, and a quantity of oxycodone from August 2023 to July 2024.

Prosecutors said the operation was based out of Detroit, MI and New Castle, PA to buy the drugs with several runners making trips between the two cities along with bringing drugs in from different parts of the country.

Investigators began investigating the organization in March 2024 after one of its members, 33-year-old Detroit resident Christian Frierson, was arrested driving back from California near Omaha, Nebraska with a safe containing 1,000 grams of fentanyl and nearly 250 grams of heroin.

After he was released, prosecutors said they used wiretaps, informants, controlled purchases and more to gather evidence on the organization and learned they recruited people in Detroit to run drug “trap houses” in New Castle.

“Multi-state and multi-jurisdictional operations like what took place today show that the FBI and our partners stand shoulder to shoulder when it comes to keeping this poison out of communities everywhere,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The message to those who want to peddle illegal drugs and guns is clear: we will not stand idle while our neighborhoods are held hostage by crime.”

The 19 people are as follows:

• Christian Frierson, 33, Detroit, MI
• Devail Adams, 54, Oak Park, MI
• Christopher Barton, 24, New Castle, PA
• Patrick Brown, 32, Detroit, MI
• Roy Brown, 55, Westland, MI
• Frank Christian, 51, Youngstown, OH
• Tyrone Davis, 35, Detroit, MI
• Edward Dietrich, 29, New Castle, PA
• Alexis Donnell, 55, New Castle, PA
• Dedric Higginbotham, 55, Detroit, MI
• Kiara Jones, 24, New Castle, PA
• Quinten Jones, 38, Detroit, MI
• Kenneth King, 37, New Castle, PA
• Jermain Lett, 52, Detroit, MI
• Marcus Mason, 32, New Castle, PA
• Daniel Rasnick, 27, New Castle, PA
• Kendra Sager, 32, New Castle, PA
• Jauan Searcy, 42, New Castle, PA
• George Wyatt, 62, New Castle, PA

If convicted, each defendant faces between 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both with the actual sentence based on the severity of each person’s offense and any prior criminal history.

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