A federal jury in Pittsburgh has convicted Laven Davis, 33, of Sharon, Pennsylvania, on charges of distributing fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury and death. The verdict was announced by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti after the jury deliberated for about five hours on October 15, 2025.
Davis was tried before Senior United States District Judge Reggie B. Walton of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Evidence presented during the six-day trial showed that Davis distributed fentanyl on or around November 28, 2022. The drugs led to the serious bodily injury and death of a 43-year-old woman from Hermitage, Pennsylvania.
At the time of the offense, Davis was on state parole after being released from prison only a few months earlier. He has previous felony convictions including aggravated assault, aggravated harassment by a prisoner, terroristic threats, and unlawful possession of a firearm. These convictions stemmed from separate state prosecutions over the past eight years.
Judge Walton set sentencing for January 16, 2026.
"The evidence presented during the six-day jury trial established that, on or about November 28, 2022, Davis distributed fentanyl which resulted in the serious bodily injury and death of a 43-year-old Hermitage, Pennsylvania, woman," Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti said.
Assistant United States Attorneys V. Joseph Sonson and Craig W. Haller are prosecuting the case for the government. The investigation involved several agencies: Mercer County District Attorney’s Office, Mercer County Coroner’s Office, Hermitage Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
