PITTSBURGH - A Jamaican citizen pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Robert Forbes, also known as "Daniel Kirkpatrick" and "Joe", age 45, Pomona, California, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Forbes conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance from April 2017 through April 2019. The conspiracy involved the shipment of cocaine from California using the United States Mail to various cities throughout the United States, including New Castle, Pennsylvania. The conspiracy also involved the shipment of cash, also through the United States Mail, from the recipients of the cocaine to the suppliers of cocaine. Many of the cocaine distributors were, like Forbes, originally from Jamaica. Forbes is not a United States citizen and will likely face deportation after he serves his sentence.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for Feb. 25, 2020. The law provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and up to life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Marnie Sheehan-Balchon are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Forbes. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. In this case, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force and the New Castle Police Department also participated in the investigation.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
