PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal drug trafficking and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The four-count Superseding Indictment named James W. Johnson, age 34, of the Hazelwood neighborhood in Pittsburgh, as the sole defendant.
According to superseding indictment, on Dec. 30, 2016, Johnson possessed with the intent to distribute, and distributed, fentanyl. The superseding indictment further alleged, on Jan. 2, 2017, Johnson possessed with intent to distribute quantities of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, as well as possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and as a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life in prison, a fine of $4,500,000 or both. 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. Indicate relevant bond/detention information if known
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, along with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
