A New Castle, Pennsylvania, resident pleaded guilty in federal court on July 15, 2026, to charges related to the trafficking of fentanyl and cocaine base, according to United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Akeem Evans, 30, entered his plea before Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone. Evans pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of fentanyl on March 13, 2024, as well as possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base on September 12, 2024.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for November 13, 2026. The law allows for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million or both for each count. The actual sentence will be determined based on the seriousness of the offenses and Evans’s prior criminal history under federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting the case for the government.
The investigation leading to Evans’s prosecution was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, New Castle Police Department, and Lawrence County Drug Task Force.