ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 6 years and 8 months (80 months) in jail on his conviction of violating federal drug and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Ravone Robert Deberry, 26.
According to information presented to the court, the FBI’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force conducted an investigation into the drug dealing and violent crime activity of members of a local gang identifying itself as "1800". The court was advised that court authorized intercepts of telephone communications between members of the group and others revealed Deberry selling crack cocaine in the Erie area. Deberry pleaded guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute and distribute the crack cocaine. In a separate case, Deberry possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SW9F, 9mm handgun while being a convicted felon. According to information provided in court, Deberry used that handgun to shoot at rival gang members and the shooting incident was captured in the authorized intercepts of Deberry’s communications.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Deberry.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
