PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Pittsburgh, PA pleaded guilty to a federal narcotics charge on Sept. 10, 2019, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Dezmen Hicks, age 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin in front of Chief United States District Court Judge Mark R. Hornak. Hicks has been detained since his initial appearance in federal court on July 20, 2017. Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for Jan. 20, 2020.
According to information provided to the court, on July 19, 2017, Pittsburgh Police responded to a 911 call on the 6000 block of Auburn Street. Zone 5 officers identified Hicks and attempted to approach him in connection with the investigation before Hicks fled into a nearby house. Officers entered the house and observed Hicks attempting to hide a blue bag in the freezer of a refrigerator in the house. Officers detained Hicks and recovered the bag from the freezer which contained approximately 25 bricks or 1,250 bags of individual heroin.
Upon police entry into the home, co-defendants Malik Clark and Joshua Wright also fled from the basement of the house and were subsequently detained by police. During a subsequent search of the home, Pittsburgh Police officers and Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agents and Task Force Officers found a large-scale fentanyl production lab in the basement of the home, and various types of narcotics, numerous firearms, United States Currency and a variety of drug packaging and branding material throughout the house. Clark, Wright, and Hicks were charged by way of federal complaint on July 20, 2017 and later indicted. The charges against Clark and Wright remain pending and they are presumed innocent. Any information provided regarding them should be considered to be only allegations.
Hicks faces a total maximum sentence of not more than 30 years in prison and a fine of $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
