PITTSBURGH, PA - A Western Pennsylvania resident has been sentenced in federal court on convictions of narcotics trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence of twelve months plus one day of imprisonment, and three years of supervised release, on Gregory Luptak, 52, of North Huntingdon, PA.
According to information presented to the Court, the Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force conducted a long-term investigation of drug trafficking occurring in and around the Braddock section of Pittsburgh. Law enforcement identified several individuals who were illegally distributing controlled substances in the Greater Pittsburgh Region, as members of a neighborhood-based street gang, self-titled "SCO" and whose leader was identified as Howard McFadden.
In January of 2019, investigators obtained authorization to conduct a federal wiretap investigation, which continued through May of 2019. As a result of this investigation, Luptak, along with 32 others were indicted in June of 2019 by a federal grand jury in three separate, but related, Indictments.
The Court was informed that intercepted communications confirmed that Luptak obtained large quantities of heroin, which he distributed to others in and around the North Huntingdon area. Luptak informed the Court that he would sell the heroin to his drug customers at a mark-up so that he could buy more heroin for himself. On at least one occasion, law enforcement observed Luptak meet McFadden at a stash house location on Seddon Avenue in Braddock to conduct a drug transaction.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the multi-agency team, which was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Moore. Partners in this investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania
Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. Other assisting agencies included the Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, and Allegheny County Adult Probation.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, known as OCDETF. OCDETF was established in 1982 to support comprehensive investigations and prosecutions of major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. It is the keystone of the drug reduction strategy of the Department of Justice. By combining the resources and expertise of federal agencies and their state and local law enforcement partners, OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
